Antisense modulation of caspase 8 expression

ABSTRACT

Antisense compounds, compositions and methods are provided for modulating the expression of caspase 8. The compositions comprise antisense compounds, particularly antisense oligonucleotides, targeted to nucleic acids encoding caspase 8. Methods of using these compounds for modulation of caspase 8 expression and for treatment of diseases associated with expression of caspase 8 are provided.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides compositions and methods for modulatingthe expression of caspase 8. In particular, this invention relates toantisense compounds, particularly oligonucleotides, specificallyhybridizable with nucleic acids encoding caspase 8. Sucholigonucleotides have been shown to modulate the expression of caspase8.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Apoptosis, or programmed cell death, is a naturally occurring processthat has been strongly conserved during evolution to preventuncontrolled cell proliferation. This form of cell suicide plays acrucial role in the development and maintenance of multicellularorganisms by eliminating superfluous or unwanted cells. However, if thisprocess goes awry, excessive apoptosis results in cell loss anddegenerative disorders including neurological disorders such asAlzheimers, Parkinsons, ALS, retinitis pigmentosa and blood celldisorders, while insufficient apoptosis contributes to the developmentof cancer, autoimmune disorders and viral infections (Thompson, Science,1995, 267, 1456-1462).

Several stimuli can induce apoptosis, and recently, major advances havebeen made in understanding the signaling pathways mediated by the cellsurface cytokine receptors activated by these stimuli, TNFR-1 and CD95(Fas/APO-1).

The pathways leading from these receptors involve a proteolytic cascadeorchestrated by a family of enzymes known as caspases (Thornberry, Br.Med. Bull., 1997, 53, 478-490). The most upstream caspase identified todate is caspase 8 (also known as CAP4, FLICE, MACH and Mch5). Caspase 8is ubiquitously expressed in both fetal and adult tissues, with theexception of fetal brain and when overexpressed, induces apoptosis(Muzio et al., Cell, 1996, 85, 817-827). Therefore, it is currentlybelieved that modulation of caspase 8 expression represents a potentialtherapeutic target in a variety of deregulated apoptotic pathologicconditions.

Caspase 8 interacts with the CD95 receptor in association with theadapter protein, FADD, through a previously identified protein motifcontained within both proteins known as the death domain (Muzio et al.,Cell, 1996, 85, 817-827). Once recruited to the death-inducing signalingcomplex (DISC), caspase 8 undergoes autoproteolytic cleavage andsubsequent activation (Martin et al., J. Biol. Chem., 1998, 273,4345-4349; Medema et al., Embo J., 1997, 16, 2794-2804; Muzio et al., J.Biol. Chem., 1998, 273, 2926-2930; Srinivasula et al., Proc. Natl. Acad.Sci. U. S. A., 1996, 93, 14486-14491). While downstream effectorcaspases have been shown to cleave several classes of proteinsubstrates, having somewhat redundant roles, upstream caspases such ascaspase 8 function primarily to cleave and activate caspases downstreamof receptor activation. One exception is cytosolic phospholipase A2.Caspase 8 has recently been shown to cleave this non-caspaseproinflammatory enzyme (Luschen et al., Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun.,1998, 253, 92-98).

It has recently been demonstrated that caspase 8 can be activated byseveral death receptor-independent pathways as well. Caspase 8 can beactivated by anticancer drugs in the absence of CD95 receptor activationin human leukemic T-cell lines suggesting the presence of an alternateapoptotic pathway (Bantel et al., Cancer Res., 1999, 59, 2083-2090;Wesselborg et al., Blood, 1999, 93, 3053-3063). Medema et al. have alsodemonstrated that caspase 8 is cleaved by granzyme B in HeLa cells,indicating its involvement in perforin-induced apoptosis, anotherCD95-independent apoptotic pathway (Medema et al., Eur. J. Immunol.,1997, 27, 3492-3498). Other CD95-independent pathways include mediationby nitric-oxide (Chlichlia et al., Blood, 1998, 91, 4311-4320),cytochrome c (Kuwana et al., J. Biol. Chem., 1998, 273, 16589-16594),and the Sendai virus (Bitzer et al., J. Virol., 1999, 73, 702-708).

Caspase 8 represents a potential therapeutic target in several diseasesincluding AIDS and AIDS-related disorders. It has been shown to beupregulated by the AIDS viral Tat protein (Bartz and Emerman, J. Virol.,1999, 73, 1956-1963; Peter et al., Br. Med. Bull., 1997, 53, 604-616).Mandruzzato et al. identified an antigen recognized by cytolytic Tlymphocytes encoded by a mutated form of the caspase 8 gene in head andneck carcinoma cells. This mutation, found only in the tumor cells,alters the stop codon thereby adding 88 amino acids to the protein andreducing the activity of the caspase (Mandruzzato et al., J. Exp. Med.,1997, 186, 785-793).

A number of alternatively spliced isoforms of caspase 8 have beenidentified with varying activity (Scaffidi et al., J. Biol. Chem., 1997,272, 26953-26958). Disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,837,837 and PCTpublication WO 98/38200 are the nucleic acid sequences encoding caspase8h and 8i as well as vectors containing nucleic acid molecules encodingthese isoforms and host cells containing these vectors. Also disclosedare antibodies, transgenic animals, and a method for treating a patientwith a compound that modulates the expression or activity of theseisoforms (Hunter et al., 1998; Hunter et al., 1998).

Disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,786,173 and 5,851,815 and the PCTpublication WO 97/35020 under the alternate name, Mch5, are the nucleicacid sequence of caspase 8, nucleic acid fragments thereof includingdegenerate variants or a full-length complementary sequence thereto andpolypeptides encoded by these nucleic acid sequences and fragments(Alnemri et al., 1997; Alnemri et al., 1998; Alnemri et al., 1998).

Currently, there are no known therapeutic agents which effectivelyinhibit the synthesis of caspase 8 and to date, strategies aimed atmodulating caspase 8 function have involved the use of antibodies andmolecules that block upstream entities such as the death receptors.Consequently, there remains a long felt need for agents capable ofeffectively inhibiting caspase 8 function.

Antisense technology is emerging as an effective means for reducing theexpression of specific gene products and may therefore prove to beuniquely useful in a number of therapeutic, diagnostic, and researchapplications for the modulation of caspase 8 expression.

The present invention provides compositions and methods for modulatingcaspase 8 expression, including modulation of aberrant forms of caspase8, including mutated and alternatively spliced forms.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is directed to antisense compounds, particularlyoligonucleotides, which are targeted to a nucleic acid encoding caspase8, and which modulate the expression of caspase 8. Pharmaceutical andother compositions comprising the antisense compounds of the inventionare also provided. Further provided are methods of modulating theexpression of caspase 8 in cells or tissues comprising contacting saidcells or tissues with one or more of the antisense compounds orcompositions of the invention. Further provided are methods of treatingan animal, particularly a human, suspected of having or being prone to adisease or condition associated with expression of caspase 8 byadministering a therapeutically or prophylactically effective amount ofone or more of the antisense compounds or compositions of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention employs oligomeric antisense compounds,particularly oligonucleotides, for use in modulating the function ofnucleic acid molecules encoding caspase 8, ultimately modulating theamount of caspase 8 produced. This is accomplished by providingantisense compounds which specifically hybridize with one or morenucleic acids encoding caspase 8. As used herein, the terms “targetnucleic acid” and “nucleic acid encoding caspase 8” encompass DNAencoding caspase 8, RNA (including pre-mRNA and mRNA) transcribed fromsuch DNA, and also cDNA derived from such RNA. The specifichybridization of an oligomeric compound with its target nucleic acidinterferes with the normal function of the nucleic acid. This modulationof function of a target nucleic acid by compounds which specificallyhybridize to it is generally referred to as “antisense”. The functionsof DNA to be interfered with include replication and transcription. Thefunctions of RNA to be interfered with include all vital functions suchas, for example, translocation of the RNA to the site of proteintranslation, translation of protein from the RNA, splicing of the RNA toyield one or more mRNA species, and catalytic activity which may beengaged in or facilitated by the RNA. The overall effect of suchinterference with target nucleic acid function is modulation of theexpression of caspase 8. In the context of the present invention,“modulation” means either an increase (stimulation) or a decrease(inhibition) in the expression of a gene. In the context of the presentinvention, inhibition is the preferred form of modulation of geneexpression and mRNA is a preferred target.

It is preferred to target specific nucleic acids for antisense.“Targeting” an antisense compound to a particular nucleic acid, in thecontext of this invention, is a multistep process. The process usuallybegins with the identification of a nucleic acid sequence whose functionis to be modulated. This may be, for example, a cellular gene (or mRNAtranscribed from the gene) whose expression is associated with aparticular disorder or disease state, or a nucleic acid molecule from aninfectious agent. In the present invention, the target is a nucleic acidmolecule encoding caspase 8. The targeting process also includesdetermination of a site or sites within this gene for the antisenseinteraction to occur such that the desired effect, e.g., detection ormodulation of expression of the protein, will result. Within the contextof the present invention, a preferred intragenic site is the regionencompassing the translation initiation or termination codon of the openreading frame (ORF) of the gene. Since, as is known in the art, thetranslation initiation codon is typically 5′-AUG (in transcribed mRNAmolecules; 5′-ATG in the corresponding DNA molecule), the translationinitiation codon is also referred to as the “AUG codon,” the “startcodon” or the “AUG start codon”. A minority of genes have a translationinitiation codon having the RNA sequence 5′-GUG, 5′-UUG or 5′-CUG, and5′-AUA, 5′-ACG and 5′-CUG have been shown to function in vivo. Thus, theterms “translation initiation codon” and “start codon” can encompassmany codon sequences, even though the initiator amino acid in eachinstance is typically methionine (in eukaryotes) or formylmethionine (inprokaryotes). It is also known in the art that eukaryotic andprokaryotic genes may have two or more alternative start codons, any oneof which may be preferentially utilized for translation initiation in aparticular cell type or tissue, or under a particular set of conditions.In the context of the invention, “start codon” and “translationinitiation codon” refer to the codon or codons that are used in vivo toinitiate translation of an mRNA molecule transcribed from a geneencoding caspase 8, regardless of the sequence(s) of such codons.

It is also known in the art that a translation termination codon (or“stop codon”) of a gene may have one of three sequences, i.e., 5′-UAA,5′-UAG and 5′-UGA (the corresponding DNA sequences are 5′-TAA, 5′-TAGand 5′-TGA, respectively). The terms “start codon region” and“translation initiation codon region” refer to a portion of such an mRNAor gene that encompasses from about 25 to about 50 contiguousnucleotides in either direction (i.e., 5′ or 3′) from a translationinitiation codon. Similarly, the terms “stop codon region” and“translation termination codon region” refer to a portion of such anmRNA or gene that encompasses from about 25 to about 50 contiguousnucleotides in either direction (i.e., 5′ or 3′) from a translationtermination codon.

The open reading frame (ORF) or “coding region,” which is known in theart to refer to the region between the translation initiation codon andthe translation termination codon, is also a region which may betargeted effectively. Other target regions include the 5′ untranslatedregion (5′UTR), known in the art to refer to the portion of an mRNA inthe 5′ direction from the translation initiation codon, and thusincluding nucleotides between the 5′ cap site and the translationinitiation codon of an mRNA or corresponding nucleotides on the gene,and the 3′ untranslated region (3′UTR), known in the art to refer to theportion of an mRNA in the 3′ direction from the translation terminationcodon, and thus including nucleotides between the translationtermination codon and 3′ end of an mRNA or corresponding nucleotides onthe gene. The 5′ cap of an mRNA comprises an N7-methylated guanosineresidue joined to the 5′-most residue of the mRNA via a 5′-5′triphosphate linkage. The 5′ cap region of an mRNA is considered toinclude the 5′ cap structure itself as well as the first 50 nucleotidesadjacent to the cap. The 5′ cap region may also be a preferred targetregion.

Although some eukaryotic mRNA transcripts are directly translated, manycontain one or more regions, known as “introns,” which are excised froma transcript before it is translated. The remaining (and thereforetranslated) regions are known as “exons” and are spliced together toform a continuous mRNA sequence. mRNA splice sites, i.e., intron-exonjunctions, may also be preferred target regions, and are particularlyuseful in situations where aberrant splicing is implicated in disease,or where an overproduction of a particular mRNA splice product isimplicated in disease. Aberrant fusion junctions due to rearrangementsor deletions are also preferred targets. It has also been found thatintrons can also be effective, and therefore preferred, target regionsfor antisense compounds targeted, for example, to DNA or pre-mRNA.

Once one or more target sites have been identified, oligonucleotides arechosen which are sufficiently complementary to the target, i.e.,hybridize sufficiently well and with sufficient specificity, to give thedesired effect.

In the context of this invention, “hybridization” means hydrogenbonding, which may be Watson-Crick, Hoogsteen or reversed Hoogsteenhydrogen bonding, between complementary nucleoside or nucleotide bases.For example, adenine and thymine are complementary nucleobases whichpair through the formation of hydrogen bonds. “Complementary,” as usedherein, refers to the capacity for precise pairing between twonucleotides. For example, if a nucleotide at a certain position of anoligonucleotide is capable of hydrogen bonding with a nucleotide at thesame position of a DNA or RNA molecule, then the oligonucleotide and theDNA or RNA are considered to be complementary to each other at thatposition. The oligonucleotide and the DNA or RNA are complementary toeach other when a sufficient number of corresponding positions in eachmolecule are occupied by nucleotides which can hydrogen bond with eachother. Thus, “specifically hybridizable” and “complementary” are termswhich are used to indicate a sufficient degree of complementarity orprecise pairing such that stable and specific binding occurs between theoligonucleotide and the DNA or RNA target. It is understood in the artthat the sequence of an antisense compound need not be 100%complementary to that of its target nucleic acid to be specificallyhybridizable. An antisense compound is specifically hybridizable whenbinding of the compound to the target DNA or RNA molecule interfereswith the normal function of the target DNA or RNA to cause a loss ofutility, and there is a sufficient degree of complementarity to avoidnon-specific binding of the antisense compound to non-target sequencesunder conditions in which specific binding is desired, i.e., underphysiological conditions in the case of in vivo assays or therapeutictreatment, and in the case of in vitro assays, under conditions in whichthe assays are performed.

Antisense compounds are commonly used as research reagents anddiagnostics. For example, antisense oligonucleotides, which are able toinhibit gene expression with exquisite specificity, are often used bythose of ordinary skill to elucidate the function of particular genes.Antisense compounds are also used, for example, to distinguish betweenfunctions of various members of a biological pathway. Antisensemodulation has, therefore, been harnessed for research use.

The specificity and sensitivity of antisense is also harnessed by thoseof skill in the art for therapeutic uses. Antisense oligonucleotideshave been employed as therapeutic moieties in the treatment of diseasestates in animals and man. Antisense oligonucleotides have been safelyand effectively administered to humans and numerous clinical trials arepresently underway. It is thus established that oligonucleotides can beuseful therapeutic modalities that can be configured to be useful intreatment regimes for treatment of cells, tissues and animals,especially humans. In the context of this invention, the term“oligonucleotide” refers to an oligomer or polymer of ribonucleic acid(RNA) or deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) or mimetics thereof. This termincludes oligonucleotides composed of naturally-occurring nucleobases,sugars and covalent internucleoside (backbone) linkages as well asoligonucleotides having non-naturally-occurring portions which functionsimilarly. Such modified or substituted oligonucleotides are oftenpreferred over native forms because of desirable properties such as, forexample, enhanced cellular uptake, enhanced affinity for nucleic acidtarget and increased stability in the presence of nucleases.

While antisense oligonucleotides are a preferred form of antisensecompound, the present invention comprehends other oligomeric antisensecompounds, including but not limited to oligonucleotide mimetics such asare described below. The antisense compounds in accordance with thisinvention preferably comprise from about 8 to about 30 nucleobases (i.e.from about 8 to about 30 linked nucleosides). Particularly preferredantisense compounds are antisense oligonucleotides, even more preferablythose comprising from about 12 to about 25 nucleobases. As is known inthe art, a nucleoside is a base-sugar combination. The base portion ofthe nucleoside is normally a heterocyclic base. The two most commonclasses of such heterocyclic bases are the purines and the pyrimidines.Nucleotides are nucleosides that further include a phosphate groupcovalently linked to the sugar portion of the nucleoside. For thosenucleosides that include a pentofuranosyl sugar, the phosphate group canbe linked to either the 2′, 3′ or 5′ hydroxyl moiety of the sugar. Informing oligonucleotides, the phosphate groups covalently link adjacentnucleosides to one another to form a linear polymeric compound. In turnthe respective ends of this linear polymeric structure can be furtherjoined to form a circular structure, however, open linear structures aregenerally preferred. Within the oligonucleotide structure, the phosphategroups are commonly referred to as forming the internucleoside backboneof the oligonucleotide. The normal linkage or backbone of RNA and DNA isa 3′ to 5′ phosphodiester linkage.

Specific examples of preferred antisense compounds useful in thisinvention include oligonucleotides containing modified backbones ornon-natural internucleoside linkages. As defined in this specification,oligonucleotides having modified backbones include those that retain aphosphorus atom in the backbone and those that do not have a phosphorusatom in the backbone. For the purposes of this specification, and assometimes referenced in the art, modified oligonucleotides that do nothave a phosphorus atom in their internucleoside backbone can also beconsidered to be oligonucleosides.

Preferred modified oligonucleotide backbones include, for example,phosphorothioates, chiral phosphorothioates, phosphorodithioates,phosphotriesters, aminoalkylphosphotriesters, methyl and other alkylphosphonates including 3′-alkylene phosphonates and chiral phosphonates,phosphinates, phosphoramidates including 3′-amino phosphoramidate andaminoalkylphosphoramidates, thionophosphoramidates,thionoalkylphosphonates, thionoalkylphosphotriesters, andboranophosphates having normal 3′-5′ linkages, 2′-5′ linked analogs ofthese, and those having inverted polarity wherein the adjacent pairs ofnucleoside units are linked 3′-5′ to 5′-3′ or 2′-5′ to 5′-2′. Varioussalts, mixed salts and free acid forms are also included.

Representative United States patents that teach the preparation of theabove phosphorus-containing linkages include, but are not limited to,U.S.: U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,687,808; 4,469,863; 4,476,301; 5,023,243;5,177,196; 5,188,897; 5,264,423; 5,276,019; 5,278,302; 5,286,717;5,321,131; 5,399,676; 5,405,939; 5,453,496; 5,455,233; 5,466,677;5,476,925; 5,519,126; 5,536,821; 5,541,306; 5,550,111; 5,563,253;5,571,799; 5,587,361; and 5,625,050, certain of which are commonly ownedwith this application, and each of which is herein incorporated byreference.

Preferred modified oligonucleotide backbones that do not include aphosphorus atom therein have backbones that are formed by short chainalkyl or cycloalkyl internucleoside linkages, mixed heteroatom and alkylor cycloalkyl internucleoside linkages, or one or more short chainheteroatomic or heterocyclic internucleoside linkages. These includethose having morpholino linkages (formed in part from the sugar portionof a nucleoside); siloxane backbones; sulfide, sulfoxide and sulfonebackbones; formacetyl and thioformacetyl backbones; methylene formacetyland thioformacetyl backbones; alkene containing backbones; sulfamatebackbones; methyleneimino and methylenehydrazino backbones; sulfonateand sulfonamide backbones; amide backbones; and others having mixed N,O, S and CH₂ component parts.

Representative United States patents that teach the preparation of theabove oligonucleosides include, but are not limited to, U.S.: U.S. Pat.Nos. 5,034,506; 5,166,315; 5,185,444; 5,214,134; 5,216,141; 5,235,033;5,264,562; 5,264,564; 5,405,938; 5,434,257; 5,466,677; 5,470,967;5,489,677; 5,541,307; 5,561,225; 5,596,086; 5,602,240; 5,610,289;5,602,240; 5,608,046; 5,610,289; 5,618,704; 5,623,070; 5,663,312;5,633,360; 5,677,437; and 5,677,439, certain of which are commonly ownedwith this application, and each of which is herein incorporated byreference.

In other preferred oligonucleotide mimetics, both the sugar and theinternucleoside linkage, i.e., the backbone, of the nucleotide units arereplaced with novel groups. The base units are maintained forhybridization with an appropriate nucleic acid target compound. One sucholigomeric compound, an oligonucleotide mimetic that has been shown tohave excellent hybridization properties, is referred to as a peptidenucleic acid (PNA). In PNA compounds, the sugar-backbone of anoligonucleotide is replaced with an amide containing backbone, inparticular an aminoethylglycine backbone. The nucleobases are retainedand are bound directly or indirectly to aza nitrogen atoms of the amideportion of the backbone. Representative United States patents that teachthe preparation of PNA compounds include, but are not limited to, U.S.:U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,539,082; 5,714,331; and 5,719,262, each of which isherein incorporated by reference. Further teaching of PNA compounds canbe found in Nielsen et al., Science, 1991, 254, 1497-1500.

Most preferred embodiments of the invention are oligonucleotides withphosphorothioate backbones and oligonucleosides with heteroatombackbones, and in particular —CH₂—NH—O—CH₂—, —CH₂—N(CH₃)—O—CH₂— [knownas a methylene (methylimino) or MMI backbone], —CH₂—O—N(CH₃)—CH₂—,—CH₂—N(CH₃)—N(CH₃)—CH₂— and —O—N(CH₃)—CH₂—CH₂— [wherein the nativephosphodiester backbone is represented as —O—P—O—CH₂—] of the abovereferenced U.S. Pat. No. 5,489,677, and the amide backbones of the abovereferenced U.S. Pat. No. 5,602,240. Also preferred are oligonucleotideshaving morpholino backbone structures of the above-referenced U.S. Pat.No. 5,034,506.

Modified oligonucleotides may also contain one or more substituted sugarmoieties. Preferred oligonucleotides comprise one of the following atthe 2′ position: OH; F; O—, S—, or N-alkyl; O—, S—, or N-alkenyl; O—,S—or N-alkynyl; or O-alkyl-O-alkyl, wherein the alkyl, alkenyl andalkynyl may be substituted or unsubstituted C₁ to C₁₀ alkyl or C₂ to C₁₀alkenyl and alkynyl. Particularly preferred are O[(CH₂ )_(n)O]_(m)CH₃,O(CH₂)_(n)OCH₃, O(CH₂)_(n)NH₂, O(CH₂)_(n)CH₃, O(CH₂)_(n)ONH₂, andO(CH₂)_(n)ON [(CH₂)_(n)CH₃)]₂, where n and m are from 1 to about 10.Other preferred oligonucleotides comprise one of the following at the 2′position: C₁ to C₁₀ lower alkyl, substituted lower alkyl, alkaryl,aralkyl, O-alkaryl or O-aralkyl, SH, SCH₃, OCN, Cl, Br, CN, CF₃, OCF₃,SOCH₃, SO₂CH₃, ONO₂, NO₂, N₃, NH₂, heterocycloalkyl, heterocycloalkaryl,aminoalkylamino, polyalkylamino, substituted silyl, an RNA cleavinggroup, a reporter group, an intercalator, a group for improving thepharmacokinetic properties of an oligonucleotide, or a group forimproving the pharmacodynamic properties of an oligonucleotide, andother substituents having similar properties. A preferred modificationincludes 2′-methoxyethoxy (2′-O—CH₂CH₂OCH₃, also known as2′-O-(2-methoxyethyl) or 2′-MOE) (Martin et al., Helv. Chim. Acta, 1995,78, 486-504) i.e., an alkoxyalkoxy group. A further preferredmodification includes 2′-dimethylaminooxyethoxy, i.e., a O(CH₂)₂ON(CH₃)₂group, also known as 2′-DMAOE, as described in examples hereinbelow, and2′-dimethylaminoethoxyethoxy (also known in the art as2′-O-dimethylaminoethoxyethyl or 2′-DMAEOE), i.e.,2′-O—CH₂—O—CH₂—N(CH₂)₂, also described in examples hereinbelow.

Other preferred modifications include 2′-methoxy (2′-O—CH₃),2′-aminopropoxy (2′-OCH₂CH₂CH₂NH₂) and 2′-fluoro (2′-F). Similarmodifications may also be made at other positions on theoligonucleotide, particularly the 3′ position of the sugar on the 3′terminal nucleotide or in 2′-5′ linked oligonucleotides and the 5′position of 5′ terminal nucleotide. Oligonucleotides may also have sugarmimetics such as cyclobutyl moieties in place of the pentofuranosylsugar. Representative United States patents that teach the preparationof such modified sugar structures include, but are not limited to, U.S.Pat. No. : 4,981,957; 5,118,800; 5,319,080; 5,359,044; 5,393,878;5,446,137; 5,466,786; 5,514,785; 5,519,134; 5,567,811; 5,576,427;5,591,722; 5,597,909; 5,610,300; 5,627,053; 5,639,873; 5,646,265;5,658,873; 5,670,633; and 5,700,920, certain of which are commonly ownedwith the instant application, and each of which is herein incorporatedby reference in its entirety.

Oligonucleotides may also include nucleobase (often referred to in theart simply as “base”) modifications or substitutions. As used herein,“unmodified” or “natural” nucleobases include the purine bases adenine(A) and guanine (G), and the pyrimidine bases thymine (T), cytosine (C)and uracil (U). Modified nucleobases include other synthetic and naturalnucleobases such as 5-methylcytosine (5-me-C), 5-hydroxymethyl cytosine,xanthine, hypoxanthine, 2-aminoadenine, 6-methyl and other alkylderivatives of adenine and guanine, 2-propyl and other alkyl derivativesof adenine and guanine, 2-thiouracil, 2-thiothymine and 2-thiocytosine,5-halouracil and cytosine, 5-propynyl uracil and cytosine, 6-azo uracil,cytosine and thymine, 5-uracil (pseudouracil), 4-thiouracil, 8-halo,8-amino, 8-thiol, 8-thioalkyl, 8-hydroxyl and other 8-substitutedadenines and guanines, 5-halo particularly 5-bromo, 5-trifluoromethyland other 5-substituted uracils and cytosines, 7-methylguanine and7-methyladenine, 8-azaguanine and 8-azaadenine, 7-deazaguanine and7-deazaadenine and 3-deazaguanine and 3-deazaadenine. Furthernucleobases include those disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,687,808, thosedisclosed in The Concise Encyclopedia Of Polymer Science AndEngineering, pages 858-859, Kroschwitz, J. I., ed. John Wiley & Sons,1990, those disclosed by Englisch et al., Angewandte Chemie,International Edition, 1991, 30, 613, and those disclosed by Sanghvi, Y.S., Chapter 15, Antisense Research and Applications, pages 289-302,Crooke, S. T. and Lebleu, B., ed., CRC Press, 1993. Certain of thesenucleobases are particularly useful for increasing the binding affinityof the oligomeric compounds of the invention. These include5-substituted pyrimidines, 6-azapyrimidines and N-2, N-6 and O-6substituted purines, including 2-aminopropyladenine, 5-propynyluraciland 5-propynylcytosine. 5-methylcytosine substitutions have been shownto increase nucleic acid duplex stability by 0.6-1.2° C. (Sanghvi, Y.S., Crooke, S. T. and Lebleu, B., eds., Antisense Research andApplications, CRC Press, Boca Raton, 1993, pp. 276-278) and arepresently preferred base substitutions, even more particularly whencombined with 2′-O-methoxyethyl sugar modifications.

Representative United States patents that teach the preparation ofcertain of the above noted modified nucleobases as well as othermodified nucleobases include, but are not limited to, the above notedU.S. Pat. No. 3,687,808, as well as U.S.: U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,845,205;5,130,302; 5,134,066; 5,175,273; 5,367,066; 5,432,272; 5,457,187;5,459,255; 5,484,908; 5,502,177; 5,525,711; 5,552,540; 5,587,469;5,594,121, 5,596,091; 5,614,617; and 5,681,941, certain of which arecommonly owned with the instant application, and each of which is hereinincorporated by reference, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,750,692, which iscommonly owned with the instant application and also herein incorporatedby reference.

Another modification of the oligonucleotides of the invention involveschemically linking to the oligonucleotide one or more moieties orconjugates which enhance the activity, cellular distribution or cellularuptake of the oligonucleotide. Such moieties include but are not limitedto lipid moieties such as a cholesterol moiety (Letsinger et al., Proc.Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 1989, 86, 6553-6556), cholic acid (Manoharan etal., Bioorg. Med. Chem. Let., 1994, 4, 1053-1060), a thioether, e.g.,hexyl-S-tritylthiol (Manoharan et al., Ann. N. Y. Acad. Sci., 1992, 660,306-309; Manoharan et al., Bioorg. Med. Chem. Let., 1993, 3, 2765-2770),a thiocholesterol (Oberhauser et al., Nucl. Acids Res., 1992, 20,533-538), an aliphatic chain, e.g., dodecandiol or undecyl residues(Saison-Behmoaras et al., EMBO J., 1991, 10, 1111-1118; Kabanov et al.,FEBS Lett., 1990, 259, 327-330; Svinarchuk et al., Biochimie, 1993, 75,49-54), a phospholipid, e.g., di-hexadecyl-rac-glycerol ortriethyl-ammonium 1,2-di-O-hexadecyl-rac-glycero-3-H-phosphonate(Manoharan et al., Tetrahedron Lett., 1995, 36, 3651-3654; Shea et al.,Nucl. Acids Res., 1990, 18, 3777-3783), a polyamine or a polyethyleneglycol chain (Manoharan et al., Nucleosides & Nucleotides, 1995, 14,969-973), or adamantane acetic acid (Manoharan et al., TetrahedronLett., 1995, 36, 3651-3654), a palmityl moiety (Mishra et al., Biochim.Biophys. Acta, 1995, 1264, 229-237), or an octadecylamine orhexylamino-carbonyl-oxycholesterol moiety (Crooke et al., J. Pharmacol.Exp. Ther., 1996, 277, 923-937.

Representative United States patents that teach the preparation of sucholigonucleotide conjugates include, but are not limited to, U.S.: U.S.Pat. Nos. 4,828,979; 4,948,882; 5,218,105; 5,525,465; 5,541,313;5,545,730; 5,552,538; 5,578,717, 5,580,731; 5,580,731; 5,591,584;5,109,124; 5,118,802; 5,138,045; 5,414,077; 5,486,603; 5,512,439;5,578,718; 5,608,046; 4,587,044; 4,605,735; 4,667,025; 4,762,779;4,789,737; 4,824,941; 4,835,263; 4,876,335; 4,904,582; 4,958,013;5,082,830; 5,112,963; 5,214,136; 5,082,830; 5,112,963; 5,214,136;5,245,022; 5,254,469; 5,258,506; 5,262,536; 5,272,250; 5,292,873;5,317,098; 5,371,241, 5,391,723; 5,416,203, 5,451,463; 5,510,475;5,512,667; 5,514,785; 5,565,552; 5,567,810; 5,574,142; 5,585,481;5,587,371; 5,595,726; 5,597,696; 5,599,923; 5,599,928 and 5,688,941,certain of which are commonly owned with the instant application, andeach of which is herein incorporated by reference.

It is not necessary for all positions in a given compound to beuniformly modified, and in fact more than one of the aforementionedmodifications may be incorporated in a single compound or even at asingle nucleoside within an oligonucleotide. The present invention alsoincludes antisense compounds which are chimeric compounds. “Chimeric”antisense compounds or “chimeras,” in the context of this invention, areantisense compounds, particularly oligonucleotides, which contain two ormore chemically distinct regions, each made up of at least one monomerunit, i.e., a nucleotide in the case of an oligonucleotide compound.These oligonucleotides typically contain at least one region wherein theoligonucleotide is modified so as to confer upon the oligonucleotideincreased resistance to nuclease degradation, increased cellular uptake,and/or increased binding affinity for the target nucleic acid. Anadditional region of the oligonucleotide may serve as a substrate forenzymes capable of cleaving RNA:DNA or RNA:RNA hybrids. By way ofexample, RNase H is a cellular endonuclease which cleaves the RNA strandof an RNA:DNA duplex. Activation of RNase H, therefore, results incleavage of the RNA target, thereby greatly enhancing the efficiency ofoligonucleotide inhibition of gene expression. Consequently, comparableresults can often be obtained with shorter oligonucleotides whenchimeric oligonucleotides are used, compared to phosphorothioatedeoxyoligonucleotides hybridizing to the same target region. Cleavage ofthe RNA target can be routinely detected by gel electrophoresis and, ifnecessary, associated nucleic acid hybridization techniques known in theart.

Chimeric antisense compounds of the invention may be formed as compositestructures of two or more oligonucleotides, modified oligonucleotides,oligonucleosides and/or oligonucleotide mimetics as described above.Such compounds have also been referred to in the art as hybrids orgapmers. Representative United States patents that teach the preparationof such hybrid structures include, but are not limited to, U.S.: U.S.Pat. Nos. 5,013,830; 5,149,797; 5,220,007; 5,256,775; 5,366,878;5,403,711; 5,491,133; 5,565,350; 5,623,065; 5,652,355; 5,652,356; and5,700,922, certain of which are commonly owned with the instantapplication, and each of which is herein incorporated by reference inits entirety.

The antisense compounds used in accordance with this invention may beconveniently and routinely made through the well-known technique ofsolid phase synthesis. Equipment for such synthesis is sold by severalvendors including, for example, Applied Biosystems (Foster City,Calif.). Any other means for such synthesis known in the art mayadditionally or alternatively be employed. It is well known to usesimilar techniques to prepare oligonucleotides such as thephosphorothioates and alkylated derivatives.

The antisense compounds of the invention are synthesized in vitro and donot include antisense compositions of biological origin, or geneticvector constructs designed to direct the in vivo synthesis of antisensemolecules. The compounds of the invention may also be admixed,encapsulated, conjugated or otherwise associated with other molecules,molecule structures or mixtures of compounds, as for example, liposomes,receptor targeted molecules, oral, rectal, topical or otherformulations, for assisting in uptake, distribution and/or absorption.Representative United States patents that teach the preparation of suchuptake, distribution and/or absorption assisting formulations include,but are not limited to, U.S.: U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,108,921; 5,354,844;5,416,016; 5,459,127; 5,521,291; 5,543,158; 5,547,932; 5,583,020;5,591,721; 4,426,330; 4,534,899; 5,013,556; 5,108,921; 5,213,804;5,227,170; 5,264,221; 5,356,633; 5,395,619; 5,416,016; 5,417,978;5,462,854; 5,469,854; 5,512,295; 5,527,528; 5,534,259; 5,543,152;5,556,948; 5,580,575; and 5,595,756, each of which is hereinincorporated by reference.

The antisense compounds of the invention encompass any pharmaceuticallyacceptable salts, esters, or salts of such esters, or any other compoundwhich, upon administration to an animal including a human, is capable ofproviding (directly or indirectly) the biologically active metabolite orresidue thereof. Accordingly, for example, the disclosure is also drawnto prodrugs and pharmaceutically acceptable salts of the compounds ofthe invention, pharmaceutically acceptable salts of such prodrugs, andother bioequivalents.

The term “prodrug” indicates a therapeutic agent that is prepared in aninactive form that is converted to an active form (i.e., drug) withinthe body or cells thereof by the action of endogenous enzymes or otherchemicals and/or conditions. In particular, prodrug versions of theoligonucleotides of the invention are prepared as SATE[(S-acetyl-2-thioethyl) phosphate] derivatives according to the methodsdisclosed in WO 93/24510 to Gosselin et al., published Dec. 9, 1993 orin WO 94/26764 to Imbach et al.

The term “pharmaceutically acceptable salts” refers to physiologicallyand pharmaceutically acceptable salts of the compounds of the invention:i.e., salts that retain the desired biological activity of the parentcompound and do not impart undesired toxicological effects thereto.

Pharmaceutically acceptable base addition salts are formed with metalsor amines, such as alkali and alkaline earth metals or organic amines.Examples of metals used as cations are sodium, potassium, magnesium,calcium, and the like. Examples of suitable amines areN,N′-dibenzylethylenediamine, chloroprocaine, choline, diethanolamine,dicyclohexylamine, ethylenediamine, N-methylglucamine, and procaine(see, for example, Berge et al., “Pharmaceutical Salts,” J. of PharmaSci., 1977, 66, 1-19). The base addition salts of said acidic compoundsare prepared by contacting the free acid form with a sufficient amountof the desired base to produce the salt in the conventional manner. Thefree acid form may be regenerated by contacting the salt form with anacid and isolating the free acid in the conventional manner. The freeacid forms differ from their respective salt forms somewhat in certainphysical properties such as solubility in polar solvents, but otherwisethe salts are equivalent to their respective free acid for purposes ofthe present invention. As used herein, a “pharmaceutical addition salt”includes a pharmaceutically acceptable salt of an acid form of one ofthe components of the compositions of the invention. These includeorganic or inorganic acid salts of the amines. Preferred acid salts arethe hydrochlorides, acetates, salicylates, nitrates and phosphates.Other suitable pharmaceutically acceptable salts are well known to thoseskilled in the art and include basic salts of a variety of inorganic andorganic acids, such as, for example, with inorganic acids, such as forexample hydrochloric acid, hydrobromic acid, sulfuric acid or phosphoricacid; with organic carboxylic, sulfonic, sulfo or phospho acids orN-substituted sulfamic acids, for example acetic acid, propionic acid,glycolic acid, succinic acid, maleic acid, hydroxymaleic acid,methylmaleic acid, fumaric acid, malic acid, tartaric acid, lactic acid,oxalic acid, gluconic acid, glucaric acid, glucuronic acid, citric acid,benzoic acid, cinnamic acid, mandelic acid, salicylic acid,4-aminosalicylic acid, 2-phenoxybenzoic acid, 2-acetoxybenzoic acid,embonic acid, nicotinic acid or isonicotinic acid; and with amino acids,such as the 20 alpha-amino acids involved in the synthesis of proteinsin nature, for example glutamic acid or aspartic acid, and also withphenylacetic acid, methanesulfonic acid, ethanesulfonic acid,2-hydroxyethanesulfonic acid, ethane-1,2-disulfonic acid,benzenesulfonic acid, 4-methylbenzenesulfonic acid,naphthalene-2-sulfonic acid, naphthalene-1,5-disulfonic acid, 2- or3-phosphoglycerate, glucose-6-phosphate, N-cyclohexylsulfamic acid (withthe formation of cyclamates), or with other acid organic compounds, suchas ascorbic acid. Pharmaceutically acceptable salts of compounds mayalso be prepared with a pharmaceutically acceptable cation. Suitablepharmaceutically acceptable cations are well known to those skilled inthe art and include alkaline, alkaline earth, ammonium and quaternaryammonium cations. Carbonates or hydrogen carbonates are also possible.

For oligonucleotides, preferred examples of pharmaceutically acceptablesalts include but are not limited to (a) salts formed with cations suchas sodium, potassium, ammonium, magnesium, calcium, polyamines such asspermine and spermidine, etc.; (b) acid addition salts formed withinorganic acids, for example hydrochloric acid, hydrobromic acid,sulfuric acid, phosphoric acid, nitric acid and the like; (c) saltsformed with organic acids such as, for example, acetic acid, oxalicacid, tartaric acid, succinic acid, maleic acid, fumaric acid, gluconicacid, citric acid, malic acid, ascorbic acid, benzoic acid, tannic acid,palmitic acid, alginic acid, polyglutamic acid, naphthalenesulfonicacid, methanesulfonic acid, p-toluenesulfonic acid,naphthalenedisulfonic acid, polygalacturonic acid, and the like; and (d)salts formed from elemental anions such as chlorine, bromine, andiodine.

The antisense compounds of the present invention can be utilized fordiagnostics, therapeutics, prophylaxis and as research reagents andkits. For therapeutics, an animal, preferably a human, suspected ofhaving a disease or disorder which can be treated by modulating theexpression of caspase 8 is treated by administering antisense compoundsin accordance with this invention. The compounds of the invention can beutilized in pharmaceutical compositions by adding an effective amount ofan antisense compound to a suitable pharmaceutically acceptable diluentor carrier. Use of the antisense compounds and methods of the inventionmay also be useful prophylactically, e.g., to prevent or delayinfection, inflammation or tumor formation, for example.

The antisense compounds of the invention are useful for research anddiagnostics, because these compounds hybridize to nucleic acids encodingcaspase 8, enabling sandwich and other assays to easily be constructedto exploit this fact. Hybridization of the antisense oligonucleotides ofthe invention with a nucleic acid encoding caspase 8 can be detected bymeans known in the art. Such means may include conjugation of an enzymeto the oligonucleotide, radiolabelling of the oligonucleotide or anyother suitable detection means. Kits using such detection means fordetecting the level of caspase 8 in a sample may also be prepared.

The present invention also includes pharmaceutical compositions andformulations which include the antisense compounds of the invention. Thepharmaceutical compositions of the present invention may be administeredin a number of ways depending upon whether local or systemic treatmentis desired and upon the area to be treated. Administration may betopical (including ophthalmic and to mucous membranes including vaginaland rectal delivery), pulmonary, e.g., by inhalation or insufflation ofpowders or aerosols, including by nebulizer; intratracheal, intranasal,epidermal and transdermal), oral or parenteral. Parenteraladministration includes intravenous, intraarterial, subcutaneous,intraperitoneal or intramuscular injection or infusion; or intracranial,e.g., intrathecal or intraventricular, administration. Oligonucleotideswith at least one 2′-O-methoxyethyl modification are believed to beparticularly useful for oral administration.

Pharmaceutical compositions and formulations for topical administrationmay include transdermal patches, ointments, lotions, creams, gels,drops, suppositories, sprays, liquids and powders. Conventionalpharmaceutical carriers, aqueous, powder or oily bases, thickeners andthe like may be necessary or desirable. Coated condoms, gloves and thelike may also be useful.

Compositions and formulations for oral administration include powders orgranules, suspensions or solutions in water or non-aqueous media,capsules, sachets or tablets. Thickeners, flavoring agents, diluents,emulsifiers, dispersing aids or binders may be desirable.

Compositions and formulations for parenteral, intrathecal orintraventricular administration may include sterile aqueous solutionswhich may also contain buffers, diluents and other suitable additivessuch as, but not limited to, penetration enhancers, carrier compoundsand other pharmaceutically acceptable carriers or excipients.

Pharmaceutical compositions of the present invention include, but arenot limited to, solutions, emulsions, and liposome-containingformulations. These compositions may be generated from a variety ofcomponents that include, but are not limited to, preformed liquids,self-emulsifying solids and self-emulsifying semisolids.

The pharmaceutical formulations of the present invention, which mayconveniently be presented in unit dosage form, may be prepared accordingto conventional techniques well known in the pharmaceutical industry.Such techniques include the step of bringing into association the activeingredients with the pharmaceutical carrier(s) or excipient(s). Ingeneral the formulations are prepared by uniformly and intimatelybringing into association the active ingredients with liquid carriers orfinely divided solid carriers or both, and then, if necessary, shapingthe product.

The compositions of the present invention may be formulated into any ofmany possible dosage forms such as, but not limited to, tablets,capsules, liquid syrups, soft gels, suppositories, and enemas. Thecompositions of the present invention may also be formulated assuspensions in aqueous, non-aqueous or mixed media. Aqueous suspensionsmay further contain substances which increase the viscosity of thesuspension including, for example, sodium carboxymethylcellulose,sorbitol and/or dextran. The suspension may also contain stabilizers.

In one embodiment of the present invention the pharmaceuticalcompositions may be formulated and used as foams. Pharmaceutical foamsinclude formulations such as, but not limited to, emulsions,microemulsions, creams, jellies and liposomes. While basically similarin nature these formulations vary in the components and the consistencyof the final product. The preparation of such compositions andformulations is generally known to those skilled in the pharmaceuticaland formulation arts and may be applied to the formulation of thecompositions of the present invention.

Emulsions

The compositions of the present invention may be prepared and formulatedas emulsions. Emulsions are typically heterogenous systems of one liquiddispersed in another in the form of droplets usually exceeding 0.1 μm indiameter. (Idson, in Pharmaceutical Dosage Forms, Lieberman, Rieger andBanker (Eds.), 1988, Marcel Dekker, Inc., New York, N.Y., volume 1, p.199; Rosoff, in Pharmaceutical Dosage Forms, Lieberman, Rieger andBanker (Eds.), 1988, Marcel Dekker, Inc., New York, N.Y., Volume 1, p.245; Block in Pharmaceutical Dosage Forms, Lieberman, Rieger and Banker(Eds.), 1988, Marcel Dekker, Inc., New York, N.Y., volume 2, p. 335;Higuchi et al., in Remington's Pharmaceutical Sciences, Mack PublishingCo., Easton, Pa., 1985, p. 301). Emulsions are often biphasic systemscomprising of two immiscible liquid phases intimately mixed anddispersed with each other. In general, emulsions may be eitherwater-in-oil (w/o) or of the oil-in-water (o/w) variety. When an aqueousphase is finely divided into and dispersed as minute droplets into abulk oily phase the resulting composition is called a water-in-oil (w/o)emulsion. Alternatively, when an oily phase is finely divided into anddispersed as minute droplets into a bulk aqueous phase the resultingcomposition is called an oil-in-water (o/w) emulsion. Emulsions maycontain additional components in addition to the dispersed phases andthe active drug which may be present as a solution in either the aqueousphase, oily phase or itself as a separate phase. Pharmaceuticalexcipients such as emulsifiers, stabilizers, dyes, and anti-oxidants mayalso be present in emulsions as needed. Pharmaceutical emulsions mayalso be multiple emulsions that are comprised of more than two phasessuch as, for example, in the case of oil-in-water-in-oil (o/w/o) andwater-in-oil-in-water (w/o/w) emulsions. Such complex formulations oftenprovide certain advantages that simple binary emulsions do not. Multipleemulsions in which individual oil droplets of an o/w emulsion enclosesmall water droplets constitute a w/o/w emulsion. Likewise a system ofoil droplets enclosed in globules of water stabilized in an oilycontinuous provides an o/w/o emulsion.

Emulsions are characterized by little or no thermodynamic stability.Often, the dispersed or discontinuous phase of the emulsion is welldispersed into the external or continuous phase and maintained in thisform through the means of emulsifiers or the viscosity of theformulation. Either of the phases of the emulsion may be a semisolid ora solid, as is the case of emulsion-style ointment bases and creams.Other means of stabilizing emulsions entail the use of emulsifiers thatmay be incorporated into either phase of the emulsion. Emulsifiers maybroadly be classified into four categories: synthetic surfactants,naturally occurring emulsifiers, absorption bases, and finely dispersedsolids (Idson, in Pharmaceutical Dosage Forms, Lieberman, Rieger andBanker (Eds.), 1988, Marcel Dekker, Inc., New York, N.Y., volume 1, p.199).

Synthetic surfactants, also known as surface active agents, have foundwide applicability in the formulation of emulsions and have beenreviewed in the literature (Rieger, in Pharmaceutical Dosage Forms,Lieberman, Rieger and Banker (Eds.), 1988, Marcel Dekker, Inc., NewYork, N.Y., volume 1, p. 285; Idson, in Pharmaceutical Dosage Forms,Lieberman, Rieger and Banker (Eds.), Marcel Dekker, Inc., New York,N.Y., 1988, volume 1, p. 199). Surfactants are typically amphiphilic andcomprise a hydrophilic and a hydrophobic portion. The ratio of thehydrophilic to the hydrophobic nature of the surfactant has been termedthe hydrophile/lipophile balance (HLB) and is a valuable tool incategorizing and selecting surfactants in the preparation offormulations. Surfactants may be classified into different classes basedon the nature of the hydrophilic group: nonionic, anionic, cationic andamphoteric (Rieger, in Pharmaceutical Dosage Forms, Lieberman, Riegerand Banker (Eds.), 1988, Marcel Dekker, Inc., New York, N.Y., volume 1,p. 285).

Naturally occurring emulsifiers used in emulsion formulations includelanolin, beeswax, phosphatides, lecithin and acacia. Absorption basespossess hydrophilic properties such that they can soak up water to formw/o emulsions yet retain their semisolid consistencies, such asanhydrous lanolin and hydrophilic petrolatum. Finely divided solids havealso been used as good emulsifiers especially in combination withsurfactants and in viscous preparations. These include polar inorganicsolids, such as heavy metal hydroxides, nonswelling clays such asbentonite, attapulgite, hectorite, kaolin, montmorillonite, colloidalaluminum silicate and colloidal magnesium aluminum silicate, pigmentsand nonpolar solids such as carbon or glyceryl tristearate.

A large variety of non-emulsifying materials are also included inemulsion formulations and contribute to the properties of emulsions.These include fats, oils, waxes, fatty acids, fatty alcohols, fattyesters, humectants, hydrophilic colloids, preservatives and antioxidants(Block, in Pharmaceutical Dosage Forms, Lieberman, Rieger and Banker(Eds.), 1988, Marcel Dekker, Inc., New York, N.Y., volume 1, p. 335;Idson, in Pharmaceutical Dosage Forms, Lieberman, Rieger and Banker(Eds.), 1988, Marcel Dekker, Inc., New York, N.Y., volume 1, p. 199).

Hydrophilic colloids or hydrocolloids include naturally occurring gumsand synthetic polymers such as polysaccharides (for example, acacia,agar, alginic acid, carrageenan, guar gum, karaya gum, and tragacanth),cellulose derivatives (for example, carboxymethylcellulose andcarboxypropylcellulose), and synthetic polymers (for example, carbomers,cellulose ethers, and carboxyvinyl polymers). These disperse or swell inwater to form colloidal solutions that stabilize emulsions by formingstrong interfacial films around the dispersed-phase droplets and byincreasing the viscosity of the external phase.

Since emulsions often contain a number of ingredients such ascarbohydrates, proteins, sterols and phosphatides that may readilysupport the growth of microbes, these formulations often incorporatepreservatives. Commonly used preservatives included in emulsionformulations include methyl paraben, propyl paraben, quaternary ammoniumsalts, benzalkonium chloride, esters of p-hydroxybenzoic acid, and boricacid. Antioxidants are also commonly added to emulsion formulations toprevent deterioration of the formulation. Antioxidants used may be freeradical scavengers such as tocopherols, alkyl gallates, butylatedhydroxyanisole, butylated hydroxytoluene, or reducing agents such asascorbic acid and sodium metabisulfite, and antioxidant synergists suchas citric acid, tartaric acid, and lecithin.

The application of emulsion formulations via dermatological, oral andparenteral routes and methods for their manufacture have been reviewedin the literature (Idson, in Pharmaceutical Dosage Forms, Lieberman,Rieger and Banker (Eds.), 1988, Marcel Dekker, Inc., New York, N.Y.,volume 1, p. 199). Emulsion formulations for oral delivery have beenvery widely used because of reasons of ease of formulation, efficacyfrom an absorption and bioavailability standpoint. (Rosoff, inPharmaceutical Dosage Forms, Lieberman, Rieger and Banker (Eds.), 1988,Marcel Dekker, Inc., New York, N.Y., volume 1, p. 245; Idson, inPharmaceutical Dosage Forms, Lieberman, Rieger and Banker (Eds.), 1988,Marcel Dekker, Inc., New York, N.Y., volume 1, p. 199). Mineral-oil baselaxatives, oil-soluble vitamins and high fat nutritive preparations areamong the materials that have commonly been administered orally as o/wemulsions.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the compositions ofoligonucleotides and nucleic acids are formulated as microemulsions. Amicroemulsion may be defined as a system of water, oil and amphiphilewhich is a single optically isotropic and thermodynamically stableliquid solution (Rosoff, in Pharmaceutical Dosage Forms, Lieberman,Rieger and Banker (Eds.), 1988, Marcel Dekker, Inc., New York, N.Y.,volume 1, p. 245). Typically microemulsions are systems that areprepared by first dispersing an oil in an aqueous surfactant solutionand then adding a sufficient amount of a fourth component, generally anintermediate chain-length alcohol to form a transparent system.Therefore, microemulsions have also been described as thermodynamicallystable, isotropically clear dispersions of two immiscible liquids thatare stabilized by interfacial films of surface-active molecules (Leungand Shah, in: Controlled Release of Drugs: Polymers and AggregateSystems, Rosoff, M., Ed., 1989, VCH Publishers, New York, pages185-215). Microemulsions commonly are prepared via a combination ofthree to five components that include oil, water, surfactant,cosurfactant and electrolyte. Whether the microemulsion is of thewater-in-oil (w/o) or an oil-in-water (o/w) type is dependent on theproperties of the oil and surfactant used and on the structure andgeometric packing of the polar heads and hydrocarbon tails of thesurfactant molecules (Schott, in Remington's Pharmaceutical Sciences,Mack Publishing Co., Easton, Pa., 1985, p. 271).

The phenomenological approach utilizing phase diagrams has beenextensively studied and has yielded a comprehensive knowledge, to oneskilled in the art, of how to formulate microemulsions (Rosoff, inPharmaceutical Dosage Forms, Lieberman, Rieger and Banker (Eds.), 1988,Marcel Dekker, Inc., New York, N.Y., volume 1, p. 245; Block, inPharmaceutical Dosage Forms, Lieberman, Rieger and Banker (Eds.), 1988,Marcel Dekker, Inc., New York, N.Y., volume 1, p. 335). Compared toconventional emulsions, microemulsions offer the advantage ofsolubilizing water-insoluble drugs in a formulation of thermodynamicallystable droplets that are formed spontaneously.

Surfactants used in the preparation of microemulsions include, but arenot limited to, ionic surfactants, non-ionic surfactants, Brij 96,polyoxyethylene oleyl ethers, polyglycerol fatty acid esters,tetraglycerol monolaurate (ML310), tetraglycerol monooleate (MO310),hexaglycerol monooleate (PO310), hexaglycerol pentaoleate (PO500),decaglycerol monocaprate (MCA750), decaglycerol monooleate (MO750),decaglycerol sequioleate (SO750), decaglycerol decaoleate (DAO750),alone or in combination with cosurfactants. The cosurfactant, usually ashort-chain alcohol such as ethanol, 1-propanol, and 1-butanol, servesto increase the interfacial fluidity by penetrating into the surfactantfilm and consequently creating a disordered film because of the voidspace generated among surfactant molecules. Microemulsions may, however,be prepared without the use of cosurfactants and alcohol-freeself-emulsifying microemulsion systems are known in the art. The aqueousphase may typically be, but is not limited to, water, an aqueoussolution of the drug, glycerol, PEG300, PEG400, polyglycerols, propyleneglycols, and derivatives of ethylene glycol. The oil phase may include,but is not limited to, materials such as Captex 300, Captex 355, CapmulMCM, fatty acid esters, medium chain (C8-C12) mono, di, andtri-glycerides, polyoxyethylated glyceryl fatty acid esters, fattyalcohols, polyglycolized glycerides, saturated polyglycolized C8-C10glycerides, vegetable oils and silicone oil.

Microemulsions are particularly of interest from the standpoint of drugsolubilization and the enhanced absorption of drugs. Lipid basedmicroemulsions (both o/w and w/o) have been proposed to enhance the oralbioavailability of drugs, including peptides (Constantinides et al.,Pharmaceutical Research, 1994, 11, 1385-1390; Ritschel, Meth. Find. Exp.Clin. Pharmacol., 1993, 13, 205). Microemulsions afford advantages ofimproved drug solubilization, protection of drug from enzymatichydrolysis, possible enhancement of drug absorption due tosurfactant-induced alterations in membrane fluidity and permeability,ease of preparation, ease of oral administration over solid dosageforms, improved clinical potency, and decreased toxicity (Constantinideset al., Pharmaceutical Research, 1994, 11, 1385; Ho et al., J. Pharm.Sci., 1996, 85, 138-143). Often microemulsions may form spontaneouslywhen their components are brought together at ambient temperature. Thismay be particularly advantageous when formulating thermolabile drugs,peptides or oligonucleotides. Microemulsions have also been effective inthe transdermal delivery of active components in both cosmetic andpharmaceutical applications. It is expected that the microemulsioncompositions and formulations of the present invention will facilitatethe increased systemic absorption of oligonucleotides and nucleic acidsfrom the gastrointestinal tract, as well as improve the local cellularuptake of oligonucleotides and nucleic acids within the gastrointestinaltract, vagina, buccal cavity and other areas of administration.

Microemulsions of the present invention may also contain additionalcomponents and additives such as sorbitan monostearate (Grill 3),Labrasol, and penetration enhancers to improve the properties of theformulation and to enhance the absorption of the oligonucleotides andnucleic acids of the present invention. Penetration enhancers used inthe microemulsions of the present invention may be classified asbelonging to one of five broad categories—surfactants, fatty acids, bilesalts, chelating agents, and non-chelating non-surfactants (Lee et al.,Critical Reviews in Therapeutic Drug Carrier Systems, 1991, p. 92). Eachof these classes has been discussed above.

Liposomes

There are many organized surfactant structures besides microemulsionsthat have been studied and used for the formulation of drugs. Theseinclude monolayers, micelles, bilayers and vesicles. Vesicles, such asliposomes, have attracted great interest because of their specificityand the duration of action they offer from the standpoint of drugdelivery. As used in the present invention, the term “liposome” means avesicle composed of amphiphilic lipids arranged in a spherical bilayeror bilayers.

Liposomes are unilamellar or multilamellar vesicles which have amembrane formed from a lipophilic material and an aqueous interior. Theaqueous portion contains the composition to be delivered. Cationicliposomes possess the advantage of being able to fuse to the cell wall.Non-cationic liposomes, although not able to fuse as efficiently withthe cell wall, are taken up by macrophages in vivo.

In order to cross intact mammalian skin, lipid vesicles must passthrough a series of fine pores, each with a diameter less than 50 nm,under the influence of a suitable transdermal gradient. Therefore, it isdesirable to use a liposome which is highly deformable and able to passthrough such fine pores.

Further advantages of liposomes include; liposomes obtained from naturalphospholipids are biocompatible and biodegradable; liposomes canincorporate a wide range of water and lipid soluble drugs; liposomes canprotect encapsulated drugs in their internal compartments frommetabolism and degradation (Rosoff, in Pharmaceutical Dosage Forms,Lieberman, Rieger and Banker (Eds.), 1988, Marcel Dekker, Inc., NewYork, N.Y., volume 1, p. 245). Important considerations in thepreparation of liposome formulations are the lipid surface charge,vesicle size and the aqueous volume of the liposomes.

Liposomes are useful for the transfer and delivery of active ingredientsto the site of action. Because the liposomal membrane is structurallysimilar to biological membranes, when liposomes are applied to a tissue,the liposomes start to merge with the cellular membranes. As the mergingof the liposome and cell progresses, the liposomal contents are emptiedinto the cell where the active agent may act.

Liposomal formulations have been the focus of extensive investigation asthe mode of delivery for many drugs. There is growing evidence that fortopical administration, liposomes present several advantages over otherformulations. Such advantages include reduced side-effects related tohigh systemic absorption of the administered drug, increasedaccumulation of the administered drug at the desired target, and theability to administer a wide variety of drugs, both hydrophilic andhydrophobic, into the skin.

Several reports have detailed the ability of liposomes to deliver agentsincluding high-molecular weight DNA into the skin. Compounds includinganalgesics, antibodies, hormones and high-molecular weight DNAs havebeen administered to the skin. The majority of applications resulted inthe targeting of the upper epidermis.

Liposomes fall into two broad classes. Cationic liposomes are positivelycharged liposomes which interact with the negatively charged DNAmolecules to form a stable complex. The positively charged DNA/liposomecomplex binds to the negatively charged cell surface and is internalizedin an endosome. Due to the acidic pH within the endosome, the liposomesare ruptured, releasing their contents into the cell cytoplasm (Wang etal., Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun., 1987, 147, 980-985).

Liposomes which are pH-sensitive or negatively-charged, entrap DNArather than complex with it. Since both the DNA and the lipid aresimilarly charged, repulsion rather than complex formation occurs.Nevertheless, some DNA is entrapped within the aqueous interior of theseliposomes. pH-sensitive liposomes have been used to deliver DNA encodingthe thymidine kinase gene to cell monolayers in culture. Expression ofthe exogenous gene was detected in the target cells (Zhou et al.,Journal of Controlled Release, 1992, 19, 269-274).

One major type of liposomal composition includes phospholipids otherthan naturally-derived phosphatidylcholine. Neutral liposomecompositions, for example, can be formed from dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine (DMPC) or dipalmitoyl phosphatidylcholine (DPPC).Anionic liposome compositions generally are formed from dimyristoylphosphatidylglycerol, while anionic fusogenic liposomes are formedprimarily from dioleoyl phosphatidylethanolamine (DOPE). Another type ofliposomal composition is formed from phosphatidylcholine (PC) such as,for example, soybean PC, and egg PC. Another type is formed frommixtures of phospholipid and/or phosphatidylcholine and/or cholesterol.

Several studies have assessed the topical delivery of liposomal drugformulations to the skin. Application of liposomes containing interferonto guinea pig skin resulted in a reduction of skin herpes sores whiledelivery of interferon via other means (e.g. as a solution or as anemulsion) were ineffective (Weiner et al., Journal of Drug Targeting,1992, 2, 405-410). Further, an additional study tested the efficacy ofinterferon administered as part of a liposomal formulation to theadministration of interferon using an aqueous system, and concluded thatthe liposomal formulation was superior to aqueous administration (duPlessis et al., Antiviral Research, 1992, 18, 259-265).

Non-ionic liposomal systems have also been examined to determine theirutility in the delivery of drugs to the skin, in particular systemscomprising non-ionic surfactant and cholesterol. Non-ionic liposomalformulations comprising Novasome™ I (glyceryldilaurate/cholesterol/polyoxyethylene-10-stearyl ether) and Novasome™ II(glyceryl distearate/cholesterol/polyoxyethylene-10-stearyl ether) wereused to deliver cyclosporin-A into the dermis of mouse skin. Resultsindicated that such non-ionic liposomal systems were effective infacilitating the deposition of cyclosporin-A into different layers ofthe skin (Hu et al. S.T.P.Pharma. Sci., 1994, 4, 6, 466).

Liposomes also include “sterically stabilized” liposomes, a term which,as used herein, refers to liposomes comprising one or more specializedlipids that, when incorporated into liposomes, result in enhancedcirculation lifetimes relative to liposomes lacking such specializedlipids. Examples of sterically stabilized liposomes are those in whichpart of the vesicle-forming lipid portion of the liposome (A) comprisesone or more glycolipids, such as monosialoganglioside G_(M1), or (B) isderivatized with one or more hydrophilic polymers, such as apolyethylene glycol (PEG) moiety. While not wishing to be bound by anyparticular theory, it is thought in the art that, at least forsterically stabilized liposomes containing gangliosides, sphingomyelin,or PEG-derivatized lipids, the enhanced circulation half-life of thesesterically stabilized liposomes derives from a reduced uptake into cellsof the reticuloendothelial system (RES) (Allen et al., FEBS Letters,1987, 223, 42; Wu et al., Cancer Research, 1993, 53, 3765).

Various liposomes comprising one or more glycolipids are known in theart. Papahadjopoulos et al. (Ann. N.Y. Acad. Sci., 1987, 507, 64)reported the ability of monosialoganglioside G_(M1), galactocerebrosidesulfate and phosphatidylinositol to improve blood half-lives ofliposomes. These findings were expounded upon by Gabizon et al. (Proc.Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A., 1988, 85, 6949). U.S. Pat. No. 4,837,028 and WO88/04924, both to Allen et al., disclose liposomes comprising (1)sphingomyelin and (2) the ganglioside G_(M1) or a galactocerebrosidesulfate ester. U.S. Pat. No. 5,543,152 (Webb et al.) discloses liposomescomprising sphingomyelin. Liposomes comprising1,2-sn-dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine are disclosed in WO 97/13499 (Limet al.).

Many liposomes comprising lipids derivatized with one or morehydrophilic polymers, and methods of preparation thereof, are known inthe art. Sunamoto et al. (Bull. Chem. Soc. Jpn., 1980, 53, 2778)described liposomes comprising a nonionic detergent, 2C₁₂15G, thatcontains a PEG moiety. Illum et al. (FEBS Lett., 1984, 167, 79) notedthat hydrophilic coating of polystyrene particles with polymeric glycolsresults in significantly enhanced blood half-lives. Syntheticphospholipids modified by the attachment of carboxylic groups ofpolyalkylene glycols (e.g., PEG) are described by Sears (U.S. Pat. Nos.4,426,330 and 4,534,899). Klibanov et al. (FEBS LETT., 1990, 268, 235)described experiments demonstrating that liposomes comprisingphosphatidylethanolamine (PE) derivatized with PEG or PEG stearate havesignificant increases in blood circulation half-lives. Blume et al.(Biochimica et Biophysica Acta, 1990, 1029, 91) extended suchobservations to other PEG-derivatized phospholipids, e.g., DSPE-PEG,formed from the combination of distearoylphosphatidylethanolamine (DSPE)and PEG. Liposomes having covalently bound PEG moieties on theirexternal surface are described in European Patent No. EP 0 445 131 B1and WO 90/04384 to Fisher. Liposome compositions containing 1-20 molepercent of PE derivatized with PEG, and methods of use thereof, aredescribed by Woodle et al. (U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,013,556 and 5,356,633) andMartin et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 5,213,804 and European Patent No. EP 0 496813 B1). Liposomes comprising a number of other lipid-polymer conjugatesare disclosed in WO 91/05545 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,225,212 (both to Martinet al.) and in WO 94/20073 (Zalipsky et al.) Liposomes comprisingPEG-modified ceramide lipids are described in WO 96/10391 (Choi et al.).U.S. Pat. No. 5,540,935 (Miyazaki et al.) and U.S. Pat. No. 5,556,948(Tagawa et al.) describe PEG-containing liposomes that can be furtherderivatized with functional moieties on their surfaces.

A limited number of liposomes comprising nucleic acids are known in theart. WO 96/40062 to Thierry et al. discloses methods for encapsulatinghigh molecular weight nucleic acids in liposomes. U.S. Pat. No.5,264,221 to Tagawa et al. discloses protein-bonded liposomes andasserts that the contents of such liposomes may include an antisenseRNA. U.S. Pat. No. 5,665,710 to Rahman et al. describes certain methodsof encapsulating oligodeoxynucleotides in liposomes. WO 97/04787 to Loveet al. discloses liposomes comprising antisense oligonucleotidestargeted to the raf gene.

Transfersomes are yet another type of liposomes, and are highlydeformable lipid aggregates which are attractive candidates for drugdelivery vehicles. Transfersomes may be described as lipid dropletswhich are so highly deformable that they are easily able to penetratethrough pores which are smaller than the droplet. Transfersomes areadaptable to the environment in which they are used, e.g. they areself-optimizing (adaptive to the shape of pores in the skin),self-repairing, frequently reach their targets without fragmenting, andoften self-loading. To make transfersomes it is possible to add surfaceedge-activators, usually surfactants, to a standard liposomalcomposition. Transfersomes have been used to deliver serum albumin tothe skin. The transfersome-mediated delivery of serum albumin has beenshown to be as effective as subcutaneous injection of a solutioncontaining serum albumin.

Surfactants find wide application in formulations such as emulsions(including microemulsions) and liposomes. The most common way ofclassifying and ranking the properties of the many different types ofsurfactants, both natural and synthetic, is by the use of thehydrophile/lipophile balance (HLB). The nature of the hydrophilic group(also known as the “head”) provides the most useful means forcategorizing the different surfactants used in formulations (Rieger, inPharmaceutical Dosage Forms, Marcel Dekker, Inc., New York, N.Y., 1988,p. 285).

If the surfactant molecule is not ionized, it is classified as anonionic surfactant. Nonionic surfactants find wide application inpharmaceutical and cosmetic products and are usable over a wide range ofpH values. In general their HLB values range from 2 to about 18depending on their structure. Nonionic surfactants include nonionicesters such as ethylene glycol esters, propylene glycol esters, glycerylesters, polyglyceryl esters, sorbitan esters, sucrose esters, andethoxylated esters. Nonionic alkanolamides and ethers such as fattyalcohol ethoxylates, propoxylated alcohols, and ethoxylated/propoxylatedblock polymers are also included in this class. The polyoxyethylenesurfactants are the most popular members of the nonionic surfactantclass.

If the surfactant molecule carries a negative charge when it isdissolved or dispersed in water, the surfactant is classified asanionic. Anionic surfactants include carboxylates such as soaps, acyllactylates, acyl amides of amino acids, esters of sulfuric acid such asalkyl sulfates and ethoxylated alkyl sulfates, sulfonates such as alkylbenzene sulfonates, acyl isethionates, acyl taurates andsulfosuccinates, and phosphates. The most important members of theanionic surfactant class are the alkyl sulfates and the soaps.

If the surfactant molecule carries a positive charge when it isdissolved or dispersed in water, the surfactant is classified ascationic. Cationic surfactants include quaternary ammonium salts andethoxylated amines. The quaternary ammonium salts are the most usedmembers of this class.

If the surfactant molecule has the ability to carry either a positive ornegative charge, the surfactant is classified as amphoteric. Amphotericsurfactants include acrylic acid derivatives, substituted alkylamides,N-alkylbetaines and phosphatides.

The use of surfactants in drug products, formulations and in emulsionshas been reviewed (Rieger, in Pharmaceutical Dosage Forms, MarcelDekker, Inc., New York, N.Y., 1988, p. 285).

Penetration Enhancers

In one embodiment, the present invention employs various penetrationenhancers to effect the efficient delivery of nucleic acids,particularly oligonucleotides, to the skin of animals. Most drugs arepresent in solution in both ionized and nonionized forms. However,usually only lipid soluble or lipophilic drugs readily cross cellmembranes. It has been discovered that even non-lipophilic drugs maycross cell membranes if the membrane to be crossed is treated with apenetration enhancer. In addition to aiding the diffusion ofnon-lipophilic drugs across cell membranes, penetration enhancers alsoenhance the permeability of lipophilic drugs.

Penetration enhancers may be classified as belonging to one of fivebroad categories, i.e., surfactants, fatty acids, bile salts, chelatingagents, and non-chelating non-surfactants (Lee et al., Critical Reviewsin Therapeutic Drug Carrier Systems, 1991, p.92). Each of the abovementioned classes of penetration enhancers are described below ingreater detail.

Surfactants: In connection with the present invention, surfactants (or“surface-active agents”) are chemical entities which, when dissolved inan aqueous solution, reduce the surface tension of the solution or theinterfacial tension between the aqueous solution and another liquid,with the result that absorption of oligonucleotides through the mucosais enhanced. In addition to bile salts and fatty acids, thesepenetration enhancers include, for example, sodium lauryl sulfate,polyoxyethylene-9-lauryl ether and polyoxyethylene-20-cetyl ether) (Leeet al., Critical Reviews in Therapeutic Drug Carrier Systems, 1991,p.92); and perfluorochemical emulsions, such as FC-43. Takahashi et al.,J. Pharm. Pharmacol., 1988, 40, 252).

Fatty acids: Various fatty acids and their derivatives which act aspenetration enhancers include, for example, oleic acid, lauric acid,capric acid (n-decanoic acid), myristic acid, palmitic acid, stearicacid, linoleic acid, linolenic acid, dicaprate, tricaprate, monoolein(1-monooleoyl-rac-glycerol), dilaurin, caprylic acid, arachidonic acid,glycerol 1-monocaprate, 1-dodecylazacycloheptan-2-one, acylcarnitines,acylcholines, C₁₋₁₀ alkyl esters thereof (e.g., methyl, isopropyl andt-butyl), and mono- and di-glycerides thereof (i.e., oleate, laurate,caprate, myristate, palmitate, stearate, linoleate, etc.) (Lee et al.,Critical Reviews in Therapeutic Drug Carrier Systems, 1991, p.92;Muranishi, Critical Reviews in Therapeutic Drug Carrier Systems, 1990,7, 1-33; El Hariri et al., J. Pharm. Pharmacol., 1992, 44, 651-654).

Bile salts: The physiological role of bile includes the facilitation ofdispersion and absorption of lipids and fat-soluble vitamins (Brunton,Chapter 38 in: Goodman & Gilman's The Pharmacological Basis ofTherapeutics, 9th Ed., Hardman et al. Eds., McGraw-Hill, New York, 1996,pp. 934-935). Various natural bile salts, and their syntheticderivatives, act as penetration enhancers. Thus the term “bile salts”includes any of the naturally occurring components of bile as well asany of their synthetic derivatives. The bile salts of the inventioninclude, for example, cholic acid (or its pharmaceutically acceptablesodium salt, sodium cholate), dehydrocholic acid (sodiumdehydrocholate), deoxycholic acid (sodium deoxycholate), glucholic acid(sodium glucholate), glycholic acid (sodium glycocholate),glycodeoxycholic acid (sodium glycodeoxycholate), taurocholic acid(sodium taurocholate), taurodeoxycholic acid (sodium taurodeoxycholate),chenodeoxycholic acid (sodium chenodeoxycholate), ursodeoxycholic acid(UDCA), sodium tauro-24,25-dihydro-fusidate (STDHF), sodiumglycodihydrofusidate and polyoxyethylene-9-lauryl ether (POE) (Lee etal., Critical Reviews in Therapeutic Drug Carrier Systems, 1991, page92; Swinyard, Chapter 39 In: Remington's Pharmaceutical Sciences, 18thEd., Gennaro, ed., Mack Publishing Co., Easton, Pa., 1990, pages782-783; Muranishi, Critical Reviews in Therapeutic Drug CarrierSystems, 1990, 7, 1-33; Yamamoto et al., J. Pharm. Exp. Ther., 1992,263, 25; Yamashita et al., J. Pharm. Sci., 1990, 79, 579-583).

Chelating Agents: Chelating agents, as used in connection with thepresent invention, can be defined as compounds that remove metallic ionsfrom solution by forming complexes therewith, with the result thatabsorption of oligonucleotides through the mucosa is enhanced. Withregards to their use as penetration enhancers in the present invention,chelating agents have the added advantage of also serving as DNaseinhibitors, as most characterized DNA nucleases require a divalent metalion for catalysis and are thus inhibited by chelating agents (Jarrett,J. Chromatogr., 1993, 618, 315-339). Chelating agents of the inventioninclude but are not limited to disodium ethylenediaminetetraacetate(EDTA), citric acid, salicylates (e.g., sodium salicylate,5-methoxysalicylate and homovanilate), N-acyl derivatives of collagen,laureth-9 and N-amino acyl derivatives of beta-diketones (enamines)(Leeet al., Critical Reviews in Therapeutic Drug Carrier Systems, 1991, page92; Muranishi, Critical Reviews in Therapeutic Drug Carrier Systems,1990, 7, 1-33; Buur et al., J. Control Rel., 1990, 14, 43-51).

Non-chelating non-surfactants: As used herein, non-chelatingnon-surfactant penetration enhancing compounds can be defined ascompounds that demonstrate insignificant activity as chelating agents oras surfactants but that nonetheless enhance absorption ofoligonucleotides through the alimentary mucosa (Muranishi, CriticalReviews in Therapeutic Drug Carrier Systems, 1990, 7, 1-33). This classof penetration enhancers include, for example, unsaturated cyclic ureas,1-alkyl- and 1-alkenylazacyclo-alkanone derivatives (Lee et al.,Critical Reviews in Therapeutic Drug Carrier Systems, 1991, page 92);and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agents such as diclofenac sodium,indomethacin and phenylbutazone (Yamashita et al., J. Pharm. Pharmacol.,1987, 39, 621-626).

Agents that enhance uptake of oligonucleotides at the cellular level mayalso be added to the pharmaceutical and other compositions of thepresent invention. For example, cationic lipids, such as lipofectin(Junichi et al, U.S. Pat. No. 5,705,188), cationic glycerol derivatives,and polycationic molecules, such as polylysine (Lollo et al., PCTApplication WO 97/30731), are also known to enhance the cellular uptakeof oligonucleotides.

Other agents may be utilized to enhance the penetration of theadministered nucleic acids, including glycols such as ethylene glycoland propylene glycol, pyrrols such as 2-pyrrol, azones, and terpenessuch as limonene and menthone.

Carriers

Certain compositions of the present invention also incorporate carriercompounds in the formulation. As used herein, “carrier compound” or“carrier” can refer to a nucleic acid, or analog thereof, which is inert(i.e., does not possess biological activity per se) but is recognized asa nucleic acid by in vivo processes that reduce the bioavailability of anucleic acid having biological activity by, for example, degrading thebiologically active nucleic acid or promoting its removal fromcirculation. The coadministration of a nucleic acid and a carriercompound, typically with an excess of the latter substance, can resultin a substantial reduction of the amount of nucleic acid recovered inthe liver, kidney or other extracirculatory reservoirs, presumably dueto competition between the carrier compound and the nucleic acid for acommon receptor. For example, the recovery of a partiallyphosphorothioate oligonucleotide in hepatic tissue can be reduced whenit is coadministered with polyinosinic acid, dextran sulfate,polycytidic acid or 4-acetamido-4′isothiocyano-stilbene-2,2′-disulfonicacid (Miyao et al., Antisense Res. Dev., 1995, 5, 115-121; Takakura etal., Antisense & Nucl. Acid Drug Dev., 1996, 6, 177-183).

Excipients

In contrast to a carrier compound, a “pharmaceutical carrier” or“excipient” is a pharmaceutically acceptable solvent, suspending agentor any other pharmacologically inert vehicle for delivering one or morenucleic acids to an animal. The excipient may be liquid or solid and isselected, with the planned manner of administration in mind, so as toprovide for the desired bulk, consistency, etc., when combined with anucleic acid and the other components of a given pharmaceuticalcomposition. Typical pharmaceutical carriers include, but are notlimited to, binding agents (e.g., pregelatinized maize starch,polyvinylpyrrolidone or hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, etc.); fillers(e.g., lactose and other sugars, microcrystalline cellulose, pectin,gelatin, calcium sulfate, ethyl cellulose, polyacrylates or calciumhydrogen phosphate, etc.); lubricants (e.g., magnesium stearate, talc,silica, colloidal silicon dioxide, stearic acid, metallic stearates,hydrogenated vegetable oils, corn starch, polyethylene glycols, sodiumbenzoate, sodium acetate, etc.); disintegrants (e.g., starch, sodiumstarch glycolate, etc.); and wetting agents (e.g., sodium laurylsulphate, etc.).

Pharmaceutically acceptable organic or inorganic excipient suitable fornon-parenteral administration which do not deleteriously react withnucleic acids can also be used to formulate the compositions of thepresent invention. Suitable pharmaceutically acceptable carriersinclude, but are not limited to, water, salt solutions, alcohols,polyethylene glycols, gelatin, lactose, amylose, magnesium stearate,talc, silicic acid, viscous paraffin, hydroxymethylcellulose,polyvinylpyrrolidone and the like.

Formulations for topical administration of nucleic acids may includesterile and non-sterile aqueous solutions, non-aqueous solutions incommon solvents such as alcohols, or solutions of the nucleic acids inliquid or solid oil bases. The solutions may also contain buffers,diluents and other suitable additives. Pharmaceutically acceptableorganic or inorganic excipients suitable for non-parenteraladministration which do not deleteriously react with nucleic acids canbe used.

Suitable pharmaceutically acceptable excipients include, but are notlimited to, water, salt solutions, alcohol, polyethylene glycols,gelatin, lactose, amylose, magnesium stearate, talc, silicic acid,viscous paraffin, hydroxymethylcellulose, polyvinylpyrrolidone and thelike.

Other Components

The compositions of the present invention may additionally contain otheradjunct components conventionally found in pharmaceutical compositions,at their art-established usage levels. Thus, for example, thecompositions may contain additional, compatible, pharmaceutically-activematerials such as, for example, antipruritics, astringents, localanesthetics or anti-inflammatory agents, or may contain additionalmaterials useful in physically formulating various dosage forms of thecompositions of the present invention, such as dyes, flavoring agents,preservatives, antioxidants, opacifiers, thickening agents andstabilizers. However, such materials, when added, should not undulyinterfere with the biological activities of the components of thecompositions of the present invention. The formulations can besterilized and, if desired, mixed with auxiliary agents, e.g.,lubricants, preservatives, stabilizers, wetting agents, emulsifiers,salts for influencing osmotic pressure, buffers, colorings, flavoringsand/or aromatic substances and the like which do not deleteriouslyinteract with the nucleic acid(s) of the formulation.

Aqueous suspensions may contain substances which increase the viscosityof the suspension including, for example, sodium carboxymethylcellulose,sorbitol and/or dextran. The suspension may also contain stabilizers.

Certain embodiments of the invention provide pharmaceutical compositionscontaining (a) one or more antisense compounds and (b) one or more otherchemotherapeutic agents which function by a non-antisense mechanism.Examples of such chemotherapeutic agents include, but are not limitedto, anticancer drugs such as daunorubicin, dactinomycin, doxorubicin,bleomycin, mitomycin, nitrogen mustard, chlorambucil, melphalan,cyclophosphamide, 6-mercaptopurine, 6-thioguanine, cytarabine (CA),5-fluorouracil (5-FU), floxuridine (5-FUdR), methotrexate (MTX),colchicine, vincristine, vinblastine, etoposide, teniposide, cisplatinand diethylstilbestrol (DES). See, generally, The Merck Manual ofDiagnosis and Therapy, 15th Ed., Berkow et al., eds., 1987, Rahway,N.J., pages 1206-1228). Anti-inflammatory drugs, including but notlimited to nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and corticosteroids, andantiviral drugs, including but not limited to ribivirin, vidarabine,acyclovir and ganciclovir, may also be combined in compositions of theinvention. See, generally, The Merck Manual of Diagnosis and Therapy,15th Ed., Berkow et al., eds., 1987, Rahway, N.J., pages 2499-2506 and46-49, respectively). Other non-antisense chemotherapeutic agents arealso within the scope of this invention. Two or more combined compoundsmay be used together or sequentially.

In another related embodiment, compositions of the invention may containone or more antisense compounds, particularly oligonucleotides, targetedto a first nucleic acid and one or more additional antisense compoundstargeted to a second nucleic acid target. Numerous examples of antisensecompounds are known in the art. Two or more combined compounds may beused together or sequentially.

The formulation of therapeutic compositions and their subsequentadministration is believed to be within the skill of those in the art.Dosing is dependent on severity and responsiveness of the disease stateto be treated, with the course of treatment lasting from several days toseveral months, or until a cure is effected or a diminution of thedisease state is achieved. Optimal dosing schedules can be calculatedfrom measurements of drug accumulation in the body of the patient.Persons of ordinary skill can easily determine optimum dosages, dosingmethodologies and repetition rates. Optimum dosages may vary dependingon the relative potency of individual oligonucleotides, and cangenerally be estimated based on EC₅₀s found to be effective in in vitroand in vivo animal models. In general, dosage is from 0.01 ug to 100 gper kg of body weight, and may be given once or more daily, weekly,monthly or yearly, or even once every 2 to 20 years. Persons of ordinaryskill in the art can easily estimate repetition rates for dosing basedon measured residence times and concentrations of the drug in bodilyfluids or tissues. Following successful treatment, it may be desirableto have the patient undergo maintenance therapy to prevent therecurrence of the disease state, wherein the oligonucleotide isadministered in maintenance doses, ranging from 0.01 ug to 100 g per kgof body weight, once or more daily, to once every 20 years.

While the present invention has been described with specificity inaccordance with certain of its preferred embodiments, the followingexamples serve only to illustrate the invention and are not intended tolimit the same.

EXAMPLES Example 1 Nucleoside Phosphoramidites for OligonucleotideSynthesis Deoxy and 2′-alkoxy amidites

2′-Deoxy and 2′-methoxy beta-cyanoethyldiisopropyl phosphoramidites werepurchased from commercial sources (e.g. Chemgenes, Needham Mass. or GlenResearch, Inc. Sterling Va.). Other 2′-O-alkoxy substituted nucleosideamidites are prepared as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,506,351, hereinincorporated by reference. For oligonucleotides synthesized using2′-alkoxy amidites, the standard cycle for unmodified oligonucleotideswas utilized, except the wait step after pulse delivery of tetrazole andbase was increased to 360 seconds.

Oligonucleotides containing 5-methyl-2′-deoxycytidine (5-Me-C)nucleotides were synthesized according to published methods [Sanghvi,et. al., Nucleic Acids Research, 1993, 21, 3197-3203] using commerciallyavailable phosphoramidites (Glen Research, Sterling Va. or ChemGenes,Needham Mass.).

2′-Fluoro amidites 2′-Fluorodeoxyadenosine amidites

2′-fluoro oligonucleotides were synthesized as described previously[Kawasaki, et. al., J. Med. Chem., 1993, 36, 831-841] and U.S. Pat. No.5,670,633, herein incorporated by reference. Briefly, the protectednucleoside N6-benzoyl-2′-deoxy-2′-fluoroadenosine was synthesizedutilizing commercially available 9-beta-D-arabinofuranosyladenine asstarting material and by modifying literature procedures whereby the2′-alpha-fluoro atom is introduced by a S_(N)2-displacement of a2′-beta-trityl group. Thus N6-benzoyl-9-beta-D-arabinofuranosyladeninewas selectively protected in moderate yield as the3′,5′-ditetrahydropyranyl (THP) intermediate. Deprotection of the THPand N6-benzoyl groups was accomplished using standard methodologies andstandard methods were used to obtain the 5′-dimethoxytrityl-(DMT) and5′-DMT-3′-phosphoramidite intermediates.

2′-Fluorodeoxyguanosine

The synthesis of 2′-deoxy-2′-fluoroguanosine was accomplished usingtetraisopropyldisiloxanyl (TPDS) protected9-beta-D-arabinofuranosylguanine as starting material, and conversion tothe intermediate diisobutyryl-arabinofuranosylguanosine. Deprotection ofthe TPDS group was followed by protection of the hydroxyl group with THPto give diisobutyryl di-THP protected arabinofuranosylguanine. SelectiveO-deacylation and triflation was followed by treatment of the crudeproduct with fluoride, then deprotection of the THP groups. Standardmethodologies were used to obtain the 5′-DMT- and5′-DMT-3′-phosphoramidites.

2′-Fluorouridine

Synthesis of 2′-deoxy-2′-fluorouridine was accomplished by themodification of a literature procedure in which2,2′-anhydro-1-beta-D-arabinofuranosyluracil was treated with 70%hydrogen fluoride-pyridine. Standard procedures were used to obtain the5′-DMT and 5′-DMT-3′phosphoramidites.

2′-Fluorodeoxycytidine

2′-deoxy-2′-fluorocytidine was synthesized via amination of2′-deoxy-2′-fluorouridine, followed by selective protection to giveN4-benzoyl-2′-deoxy-2′-fluorocytidine. Standard procedures were used toobtain the 5′-DMT and 5′-DMT-3′phosphoramidites.

2′-O-(2-Methoxyethyl) modified amidites

2′-O-Methoxyethyl-substituted nucleoside amidites are prepared asfollows, or alternatively, as per the methods of Martin, P., HelveticaChimica Acta, 1995, 78, 486-504.

2,2′-Anhydro[1-(beta-D-arabinofuranosyl)-5-methyluridine]

5-Methyluridine (ribosylthymine, commercially available through Yamasa,Choshi, Japan) (72.0 g, 0.279 M), diphenylcarbonate (90.0 g, 0.420 M)and sodium bicarbonate (2.0 g, 0.024 M) were added to DMF (300 mL). Themixture was heated to reflux, with stirring, allowing the evolved carbondioxide gas to be released in a controlled manner. After 1 hour, theslightly darkened solution was concentrated under reduced pressure. Theresulting syrup was poured into diethylether (2.5 L), with stirring. Theproduct formed a gum. The ether was decanted and the residue wasdissolved in a minimum amount of methanol (ca. 400 mL). The solution waspoured into fresh ether (2.5 L) to yield a stiff gum. The ether wasdecanted and the gum was dried in a vacuum oven (60° C. at 1 mm Hg for24 h) to give a solid that was crushed to a light tan powder (57 g, 85%crude yield). The NMR spectrum was consistent with the structure,contaminated with phenol as its sodium salt (ca. 5%). The material wasused as is for further reactions (or it can be purified further bycolumn chromatography using a gradient of methanol in ethyl acetate(10-25%) to give a white solid, mp 222-4° C.).

2′-O-Methoxyethyl-5-methyluridine

2,2′-Anhydro-5-methyluridine (195 g, 0.81 M), tris(2-methoxyethyl)borate(231 g, 0.98 M) and 2-methoxyethanol (1.2 L) were added to a 2 Lstainless steel pressure vessel and placed in a pre-heated oil bath at160° C. After heating for 48 hours at 155-160° C., the vessel was openedand the solution evaporated to dryness and triturated with MeOH (200mL). The residue was suspended in hot acetone (1 L). The insoluble saltswere filtered, washed with acetone (150 mL) and the filtrate evaporated.The residue (280 g) was dissolved in CH₃CN (600 mL) and evaporated. Asilica gel column (3 kg) was packed in CH₂Cl₂/acetone/MeOH (20:5:3)containing 0.5% Et₃NH. The residue was dissolved in CH₂Cl₂ (250 mL) andadsorbed onto silica (150 g) prior to loading onto the column. Theproduct was eluted with the packing solvent to give 160 g (63%) ofproduct. Additional material was obtained by reworking impure fractions.

2′-O-Methoxyethyl-5′-O-dimethoxytrityl-5-methyluridine

2′-O-Methoxyethyl-5-methyluridine (160 g, 0.506 M) was co-evaporatedwith pyridine (250 mL) and the dried residue dissolved in pyridine (1.3L). A first aliquot of dimethoxytrityl chloride (94.3 g, 0.278 M) wasadded and the mixture stirred at room temperature for one hour. A secondaliquot of dimethoxytrityl chloride (94.3 g, 0.278 M) was added and thereaction stirred for an additional one hour. Methanol (170 mL) was thenadded to stop the reaction. HPLC showed the presence of approximately70% product. The solvent was evaporated and triturated with CH₃CN (200mL). The residue was dissolved in CHCl₃ (1.5 L) and extracted with 2×500mL of saturated NaHCO₃ and 2×500 mL of saturated NaCl. The organic phasewas dried over Na₂SO₄ filtered and evaporated. 275 g of residue wasobtained. The residue was purified on a 3.5 kg silica gel column, packedand eluted with EtOAc/hexane/acetone (5:5:1) containing 0.5% Et₃NH. Thepure fractions were evaporated to give 164 g of product. Approximately20 g additional was obtained from the impure fractions to give a totalyield of 183 g (57%).

3′-O-Acetyl-2′-O-methoxyethyl-5′-O-dimethoxytrityl-5-methyluridine

2′-O-Methoxyethyl-5′-O-dimethoxytrityl-5-methyluridine (106 g, 0.167 M),DMF/pyridine (750 mL of a 3:1 mixture prepared from 562 mL of DMF and188 mL of pyridine) and acetic anhydride (24.38 mL, 0.258 M) werecombined and stirred at room temperature for 24 hours. The reaction wasmonitored by TLC by first quenching the TLC sample with the addition ofMeOH. Upon completion of the reaction, as judged by TLC, MeOH (50 mL)was added and the mixture evaporated at 35° C. The residue was dissolvedin CHCl₃ (800 mL) and extracted with 2×200 mL of saturated sodiumbicarbonate and 2×200 mL of saturated NaCl. The water layers were backextracted with 200 mL of CHCl₃. The combined organics were dried withsodium sulfate and evaporated to give 122 g of residue (approx. 90%product). The residue was purified on a 3.5 kg silica gel column andeluted using EtOAc/hexane(4:1). Pure product fractions were evaporatedto yield 96 g (84%). An additional 1.5 g was recovered from laterfractions.

3′-O-Acetyl-2′-O-methoxyethyl-5′-O-dimethoxytrityl-5-methyl-4-triazoleuridine

A first solution was prepared by dissolving3′-O-acetyl-2′-O-methoxyethyl-5′-O-dimethoxytrityl-5-methyluridine (96g, 0.144 M) in CH₃CN (700 mL) and set aside. Triethylamine (189 mL, 1.44M) was added to a solution of triazole (90 g, 1.3 M) in CH₃CN (1 L),cooled to −5° C. and stirred for 0.5 h using an overhead stirrer. POCl₃was added dropwise, over a 30 minute period, to the stirred solutionmaintained at 0-10° C., and the resulting mixture stirred for anadditional 2 hours. The first solution was added dropwise, over a 45minute period, to the latter solution. The resulting reaction mixturewas stored overnight in a cold room. Salts were filtered from thereaction mixture and the solution was evaporated. The residue wasdissolved in EtOAc (1 L) and the insoluble solids were removed byfiltration. The filtrate was washed with 1×300 mL of NaHCO₃ and 2×300 mLof saturated NaCl, dried over sodium sulfate and evaporated. The residuewas triturated with EtOAc to give the title compound.

2′-O-Methoxyethyl-5′-O-dimethoxytrityl-5-methylcytidine

A solution of3′-O-acetyl-2′-O-methoxyethyl-5′-O-dimethoxytrityl-5-methyl-4-triazoleuridine(103 g, 0.141 M) in dioxane (500 mL) and NH₄OH (30 mL) was stirred atroom temperature for 2 hours. The dioxane solution was evaporated andthe residue azeotroped with MeOH (2×200 mL). The residue was dissolvedin MeOH (300 mL) and transferred to a 2 liter stainless steel pressurevessel. MeOH (400 mL) saturated with NH₃ gas was added and the vesselheated to 100° C. for 2 hours (TLC showed complete conversion). Thevessel contents were evaporated to dryness and the residue was dissolvedin EtOAc (500 mL) and washed once with saturated NaCl (200 mL). Theorganics were dried over sodium sulfate and the solvent was evaporatedto give 85 g (95%) of the title compound.

N4-Benzoyl-2′-O-methoxyethyl-5′-O-dimethoxytrityl-5-methylcytidine

2′-O-Methoxyethyl-5′-O-dimethoxytrityl-5-methylcytidine (85 g, 0.134 M)was dissolved in DMF (800 mL) and benzoic anhydride (37.2 g, 0.165 M)was added with stirring. After stirring for 3 hours, TLC showed thereaction to be approximately 95% complete. The solvent was evaporatedand the residue azeotroped with MeOH (200 mL). The residue was dissolvedin CHCl₃ (700 mL) and extracted with saturated NaHCO₃ (2×300 mL) andsaturated NaCl (2×300 mL), dried over MgSO₄ and evaporated to give aresidue (96 g). The residue was chromatographed on a 1.5 kg silicacolumn using EtOAc/hexane (1:1) containing 0.5% Et₃NH as the elutingsolvent. The pure product fractions were evaporated to give 90 g (90%)of the title compound.

N4-Benzoyl-2′-O-methoxyethyl-5′-O-dimethoxytrityl-5-methylcytidine-3′-amidite

N4-Benzoyl-2′-O-methoxyethyl-5′-O-dimethoxytrityl-5-methylcytidine (74g, 0.10 M) was dissolved in CH₂Cl₂ (1 L). Tetrazole diisopropylamine(7.1 g) and 2-cyanoethoxy-tetra-(isopropyl)phosphite (40.5 mL, 0.123 M)were added with stirring, under a nitrogen atmosphere. The resultingmixture was stirred for 20 hours at room temperature (TLC showed thereaction to be 95% complete). The reaction mixture was extracted withsaturated NaHCO₃ (1×300 mL) and saturated NaCl (3×300 mL). The aqueouswashes were back-extracted with CH₂Cl₂ (300 mL), and the extracts werecombined, dried over MgSO₄ and concentrated. The residue obtained waschromatographed on a 1.5 kg silica column using EtOAc/hexane (3:1) asthe eluting solvent. The pure fractions were combined to give 90.6 g(87%) of the title compound.

2′-O-(Aminooxyethyl) nucleoside amidites and2′-O-(dimethylaminooxyethyl) nucleoside amidites

2′-(Dimethylaminooxyethoxy) nucleoside amidites

2′-(Dimethylaminooxyethoxy) nucleoside amidites [also known in the artas 2′-O-(dimethylaminooxyethyl) nucleoside amidites] are prepared asdescribed in the following paragraphs. Adenosine, cytidine and guanosinenucleoside amidites are prepared similarly to the thymidine(5-methyluridine) except the exocyclic amines are protected with abenzoyl moiety in the case of adenosine and cytidine and with isobutyrylin the case of guanosine.

5′-O-tert-Butyldiphenylsilyl-O²-2′-anhydro-5-methyluridine

O²-2′-anhydro-5-methyluridine (Pro. Bio. Sint., Varese, Italy, 100.0 g,0.416 mmol), dimethylaminopyridine (0.66 g, 0.013 eq, 0.0054 mmol) weredissolved in dry pyridine (500 ml) at ambient temperature under an argonatmosphere and with mechanical stirring. tert-Butyldiphenylchlorosilane(125.8 g, 119.0 mL, 1.1 eq, 0.458 mmol) was added in one portion. Thereaction was stirred for 16 h at ambient temperature. TLC (Rf 0.22,ethyl acetate) indicated a complete reaction. The solution wasconcentrated under reduced pressure to a thick oil. This was partitionedbetween dichloromethane (1 L) and saturated sodium bicarbonate (2×1 L)and brine (1 L). The organic layer was dried over sodium sulfate andconcentrated under reduced pressure to a thick oil. The oil wasdissolved in a 1:1 mixture of ethyl acetate and ethyl ether (600 mL) andthe solution was cooled to −10° C. The resulting crystalline product wascollected by filtration, washed with ethyl ether (3×200 mL) and dried(40° C., 1 mm Hg, 24 h) to 149 g (74.8%) of white solid. TLC and NMRwere consistent with pure product.

5′-O-tert-Butyldiphenylsilyl-2′-O-(2-hydroxyethyl)-5-methyluridine

In a 2 L stainless steel, unstirred pressure reactor was added borane intetrahydrofuran (1.0 M, 2.0 eq, 622 mL). In the fume hood and withmanual stirring, ethylene glycol (350 mL, excess) was added cautiouslyat first until the evolution of hydrogen gas subsided.5′-O-tert-Butyldiphenylsilyl-O²-2′-anhydro-5-methyluridine (149 g, 0.311mol) and sodium bicarbonate (0.074 g, 0.003 eq) were added with manualstirring. The reactor was sealed and heated in an oil bath until aninternal temperature of 160° C. was reached and then maintained for 16 h(pressure <100 psig). The reaction vessel was cooled to ambient andopened. TLC (Rf 0.67 for desired product and Rf 0.82 for ara-T sideproduct, ethyl acetate) indicated about 70% conversion to the product.In order to avoid additional side product formation, the reaction wasstopped, concentrated under reduced pressure (10 to 1 mm Hg) in a warmwater bath (40-100° C.) with the more extreme conditions used to removethe ethylene glycol. [Alternatively, once the low boiling solvent isgone, the remaining solution can be partitioned between ethyl acetateand water. The product will be in the organic phase.] The residue waspurified by column chromatography (2 kg silica gel, ethylacetate-hexanes gradient 1:1 to 4:1). The appropriate fractions werecombined, stripped and dried to product as a white crisp foam (84 g,50%), contaminated starting material (17.4 g) and pure reusable startingmaterial 20 g. The yield based on starting material less pure recoveredstarting material was 58%. TLC and NMR were consistent with 99% pureproduct.

2′-O-([2-phthalimidoxy)ethyl]-5′-t-butyldiphenylsilyl-5-methyluridine

5′-O-tert-Butyldiphenylsilyl-2′-O-(2-hydroxyethyl)-5-methyluridine (20g, 36.98 mmol) was mixed with triphenylphosphine (11.63 g, 44.36 mmol)and N-hydroxyphthalimide (7.24 g, 44.36 mmol). It was then dried overP₂O₅ under high vacuum for two days at 40° C. The reaction mixture wasflushed with argon and dry THF (369.8 mL, Aldrich, sure seal bottle) wasadded to get a clear solution. Diethyl-azodicarboxylate (6.98 mL, 44.36mmol) was added dropwise to the reaction mixture. The rate of additionis maintained such that resulting deep red coloration is just dischargedbefore adding the next drop. After the addition was complete, thereaction was stirred for 4 hrs. By that time TLC showed the completionof the reaction (ethylacetate:hexane, 60:40). The solvent was evaporatedin vacuum. Residue obtained was placed on a flash column and eluted withethyl acetate:hexane (60:40), to get2′-O-([2-phthalimidoxy)ethyl]-5′-t-butyldiphenylsilyl-5-methyluridine aswhite foam (21.819 g, 86%).

5′-0-tert-butyldiphenylsilyl-2′-O-[(2-formadoximinooxy)ethyl]-5-methyluridine

2′-O-([2-phthalimidoxy)ethyl]-5′-t-butyldiphenylsilyl-5-methyluridine(3.1 g, 4.5 mmol) was dissolved in dry CH₂Cl₂ (4.5 mL) andmethylhydrazine (300 mL, 4.64 mmol) was added dropwise at −10° C. to 0°C. After 1 h the mixture was filtered, the filtrate was washed with icecold CH₂Cl₂ and the combined organic phase was washed with water, brineand dried over anhydrous Na₂SO₄. The solution was concentrated to get2′-O-(aminooxyethyl) thymidine, which was then dissolved in MeOH (67.5mL). To this formaldehyde (20% aqueous solution, w/w, 1.1 eq.) was addedand the resulting mixture was strirred for 1 h. Solvent was removedunder vacuum; residue chromatographed to get5′-O-tert-butyldiphenylsilyl-2′-O-[(2-formadoximinooxy)ethyl]-5-methyluridine as white foam (1.95 g, 78%).

5′-O-tert-Butyldiphenylsilyl-2′-O-[N,N-dimethylaminooxyethyl]-5-methyluridine

5′-O-tert-butyldiphenylsilyl-2′-O-[(2-formadoximinooxy)ethyl]-5-methyluridine(1.77 g, 3.12 mmol) was dissolved in a solution of 1M pyridiniump-toluenesulfonate (PPTS) in dry MeOH (30.6 mL). Sodium cyanoborohydride(0.39 g, 6.13 mmol) was added to this solution at 10° C. under inertatmosphere. The reaction mixture was stirred for 10 minutes at 10° C.After that the reaction vessel was removed from the ice bath and stirredat room temperature for 2 h, the reaction monitored by TLC (5% MeOH inCH₂Cl₂). Aqueous NaHCO₃ solution (5%, 10 mL) was added and extractedwith ethyl acetate (2×20 mL). Ethyl acetate phase was dried overanhydrous Na₂SO₄ evaporated to dryness. Residue was dissolved in asolution of 1M PPTS in MeOH (30.6 mL). Formaldehyde (20% w/w, 30 mL,3.37 mmol) was added and the reaction mixture was stirred at roomtemperature for 10 minutes. Reaction mixture cooled to 10° C. in an icebath, sodium cyanoborohydride (0.39 g, 6.13 mmol) was added and reactionmixture stirred at 10° C. for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, the reactionmixture was removed from the ice bath and stirred at room temperaturefor 2 hrs. To the reaction mixture 5% NaHCO₃ (25 mL) solution was addedand extracted with ethyl acetate (2×25 mL). Ethyl acetate layer wasdried over anhydrous Na₂SO₄ and evaporated to dryness. The residueobtained was purified by flash column chromatography and eluted with 5%MeOH in CH₂Cl₂ to get5′-O-tert-butyldiphenylsilyl-2′-O-[N,N-dimethylaminooxyethyl]-5-methyluridineas a white foam (14.6 g, 80%).

2′-O-(dimethylaminooxyethyl)-5-methyluridine

Triethylamine trihydrofluoride (3.91 mL, 24.0 mmol) was dissolved in dryTHF and triethylamine (1.67 mL, 12 mmol, dry, kept over KOH). Thismixture of triethylamine-2HF was then added to5′-O-tert-butyldiphenylsilyl-2′-O-[N,N-dimethylaminooxyethyl]-5-methyluridine(1.40 g, 2.4 mmol) and stirred at room temperature for 24 hrs. Reactionwas monitored by TLC (5% MeOH in CH₂Cl₂). Solvent was removed undervacuum and the residue placed on a flash column and eluted with 10% MeOHin CH₂Cl₂ to get 2′-O-(dimethylaminooxyethyl)-5-methyluridine (766 mg,92.5%).

5′-O-DMT-2′-O-(dimethylaminooxyethyl)-5-methyluridine

2′-O-(dimethylaminooxyethyl)-5-methyluridine (750 mg, 2.17 mmol) wasdried over P₂O₅ under high vacuum overnight at 40° C. It was thenco-evaporated with anhydrous pyridine (20 mL). The residue obtained wasdissolved in pyridine (11 mL) under argon atmosphere.4-dimethylaminopyridine (26.5 mg, 2.60 mmol), 4,4′-dimethoxytritylchloride (880 mg, 2.60 mmol) was added to the mixture and the reactionmixture was stirred at room temperature until all of the startingmaterial disappeared. Pyridine was removed under vacuum and the residuechromatographed and eluted with 10% MeOH in CH₂Cl₂ (containing a fewdrops of pyridine) to get5′-O-DMT-2′-O-(dimethylamino-oxyethyl)-5-methyluridine (1.13 g, 80%).

5′-O-DMT-2′-O-(2-N,N-dimethylaminooxyethyl)-5-methyluridine-3-[(2-cyanoethyl)-N,N-diisopropylphosphoramidite]

5′-O-DMT-2′-O-(dimethylaminooxyethyl)-5-methyluridine (1.08 g, 1.67mmol) was co-evaporated with toluene (20 mL). To the residueN,N-diisopropylamine tetrazonide (0.29 g, 1.67 mmol) was added and driedover P₂O₅ under high vacuum overnight at 40° C. Then the reactionmixture was dissolved in anhydrous acetonitrile (8.4 mL) and2-cyanoethyl-N,N,N¹,N¹-tetraisopropylphosphoramidite (2.12 mL, 6.08mmol) was added. The reaction mixture was stirred at ambient temperaturefor 4 hrs under inert atmosphere. The progress of the reaction wasmonitored by TLC (hexane:ethyl acetate 1:1). The solvent was evaporated,then the residue was dissolved in ethyl acetate (70 mL) and washed with5% aqueous NaHCO₃ (40 mL). Ethyl acetate layer was dried over anhydrousNa₂SO₄ and concentrated. Residue obtained was chromatographed (ethylacetate as eluent) to get5′-O-DMT-2′-O-(2-N,N-dimethylaminooxyethyl)-5-methyluridine-3′-[(2-cyanoethyl)-N,N-diisopropylphosphoramidite]as a foam (1.04 g, 74.9%).

2′-(Aminooxyethoxy) nucleoside amidites

2′-(Aminooxyethoxy) nucleoside amidites [also known in the art as2′-O-(aminooxyethyl) nucleoside amidites] are prepared as described inthe following paragraphs. Adenosine, cytidine and thymidine nucleosideamidites are prepared similarly.

N2-isobutyryl-6-O-diphenylcarbamoyl-2′-O-(2-ethylacetyl)-5′-O-(4,4′-dimethoxytrityl)guanosine-3′-[(2-cyanoethyl)-N,N-diisopropylphosphoramidite]

The 2′-O-aminooxyethyl guanosine analog may be obtained by selective2′-O-alkylation of diaminopurine riboside. Multigram quantities ofdiaminopurine riboside may be purchased from Schering AG (Berlin) toprovide 2′-O-(2ethylacetyl) diaminopurine riboside along with a minoramount of the 3′-O-isomer. 2′-O-(2-ethylacetyl) diaminopurine ribosidemay be resolved and converted to 2′-O-(2-ethylacetyl)guanosine bytreatment with adenosine deaminase. (McGee, D. P. C., Cook, P. D.,Guinosso, C. J., WO 94/02501 A1 940203.) Standard protection proceduresshould afford 2′-O-(2-ethylacetyl)-5′-O-(4,4′-dimethoxytrityl)guanosineand2-N-isobutyryl-6-O-diphenylcarbamoyl-2′-O-(2-ethylacetyl)-5′-O-(4,4′-dimethoxytrityl)guanosinewhich may be reduced to provide2-N-isobutyryl-6-O-diphenylcarbamoyl-2′-O-(2-ethylacetyl)-5′-O-(4,4′-dimethoxytrityl)guanosine.As before the hydroxyl group may be displaced by N-hydroxyphthalimidevia a Mitsunobu reaction, and the protected nucleoside mayphosphitylated as usual to yield2-N-isobutyryl-6-O-diphenylcarbamoyl-2′-O-(2-ethylacetyl)-5′-O-(4,4′-dimethoxytrityl)guanosine-3′-[(2-cyanoethyl)-N,N-diisopropylphosphoramidite].

2′-dimethylaminoethoxyethoxy (2′-DMAEOE) nucleoside amidites

2′-dimethylaminoethoxyethoxy nucleoside amidites (also known in the artas 2′-O-dimethylaminoethoxyethyl, i.e., 2′—O—CH₂—O—CH₂—N(CH₂)₂, or2′-DMAEOE nucleoside amidites) are prepared as follows. Other nucleosideamidites are prepared similarly.

2′-O-[2(2-N,N-dimethylaminoethoxy)ethyl]-5-methyl uridine

2[2-(Dimethylamino)ethoxy]ethanol (Aldrich, 6.66 g, 50 mmol) is slowlyadded to a solution of borane in tetrahydrofuran (1 M, 10 mL, 10 mmol)with stirring in a 100 mL bomb. Hydrogen gas evolves as the soliddissolves. O²,-2′-anhydro-5-methyluridine (1.2 g, 5 mmol), and sodiumbicarbonate (2.5 mg) are added and the bomb is sealed, placed in an oilbath and heated to 155° C. for 26 hours. The bomb is cooled to roomtemperature and opened. The crude solution is concentrated and theresidue partitioned between water (200 mL) and hexanes (200 mL). Theexcess phenol is extracted into the hexane layer. The aqueous layer isextracted with ethyl acetate (3×200 mL) and the combined organic layersare washed once with water, dried over anhydrous sodium sulfate andconcentrated. The residue is columned on silica gel usingmethanol/methylene chloride 1:20 (which has 2% triethylamine) as theeluent. As the column fractions are concentrated a colorless solid formswhich is collected to give the title compound as a white solid.

5′-O-dimethoxytrityl-2′-O-[2(2-N,N-dimethylaminoethoxy) ethyl)]-5-methyluridine

To 0.5 g (1.3 mmol) of2′-O-[2(2-N,N-dimethylaminoethoxy)ethyl)]-5-methyl uridine in anhydrouspyridine (8 mL), triethylamine (0.36 mL) and dimethoxytrityl chloride(DMT-Cl, 0.87 g, 2 eq.) are added and stirred for 1 hour. The reactionmixture is poured into water (200 mL) and extracted with CH₂Cl₂ (2×2mL). The combined CH ₂Cl₂ layers are washed with saturated NaHCO₃solution, followed by saturated NaCl solution and dried over anhydroussodium sulfate. Evaporation of the solvent followed by silica gelchromatography using MeOH:CH ₂Cl₂:Et₃N (20:1, v/v, with 1%triethylamine) gives the title compound.

5′-O-Dimethoxytrityl-2′-O-[2(2-N, N-dimethylainoethoxy)ethyl)]-5-methyluridine-3′-O-(cyanoethyl-N,N-disopropyl)phosphoramidite

Diisopropylaminotetrazolide (0.6 g) and 2-cyanoethoxy-N,N-diisopropylphosphoramidite (1.1 mL, 2 eq.) are added to a solution of5′-O-dimethoxytrityl-240-O-[2(2-N,N-dimethylaminoethoxy)ethyl)]-5-methyluridine (2.17 g, 3 mmol)dissolved in CH₂Cl₂ (20 mL) under an atmosphere of argon. The reactionmixture is stirred overnight and the solvent evaporated. The resultingresidue is purified by silica gel flash column chromatography with ethylacetate as the eluent to give the title compound.

Example 2 Oligonucleotide Synthesis

Unsubstituted and substituted phosphodiester (P═O) oligonucleotides aresynthesized on an automated DNA synthesizer (Applied Biosystems model380B) using standard phosphoramidite chemistry with oxidation by iodine.

Phosphorothioates (P═S) are synthesized as for the phosphodiesteroligonucleotides except the standard oxidation bottle was replaced by0.2 M solution of 3H-1,2-benzodithiole-3-one 1,1-dioxide in acetonitrilefor the stepwise thiation of the phosphite linkages. The thiation waitstep was increased to 68 sec and was followed by the capping step. Aftercleavage from the CPG column and deblocking in concentrated ammoniumhydroxide at 55° C. (18 h), the oligonucleotides were purified byprecipitating twice with 2.5 volumes of ethanol from a 0.5 M NaClsolution.

Phosphinate oligonucleotides are prepared as described in U.S. Pat. No.5,508,270, herein incorporated by reference.

Alkyl phosphonate oligonucleotides are prepared as described in U.S.Pat. No. 4,469,863, herein incorporated by reference.

3′-Deoxy-3′-methylene phosphonate oligonucleotides are prepared asdescribed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,610,289 or 5,625,050, herein incorporatedby reference.

Phosphoramidite oligonucleotides are prepared as described in U.S. Pat.No., 5,256,775 or 5,366,878, herein incorporated by reference.

Alkylphosphonothioate oligonucleotides are prepared as described inpublished PCT applications PCT/US94/00902 and PCT/US93/06976 (publishedas WO 94/17093 and WO 94/02499, respectively), herein incorporated byreference.

3′-Deoxy-3′-amino phosphoramidate oligonucleotides are prepared asdescribed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,476,925, herein incorporated by reference.

Phosphotriester oligonucleotides are prepared as described in U.S. Pat.No. 5,023,243, herein incorporated by reference.

Borano phosphate oligonucleotides are prepared as described in U.S. Pat.Nos. 5,130,302 and 5,177,198, both herein incorporated by reference.

Example 3 Oligonucleoside Synthesis

Methylenemethylimino linked oligonucleosides, also identified as MMIlinked oligonucleosides, methylenedimethylhydrazo linkedoligonucleosides, also identified as MDH linked oligonucleosides, andmethylenecarbonylamino linked oligonucleosides, also identified asamide-3 linked oligonucleosides, and methyleneaminocarbonyl linkedoligonucleosides, also identified as amide-4 linked oligonucleosides, aswell as mixed backbone compounds having, for instance, alternating MMIand P═O or P═S linkages are prepared as described in U.S. Pat. Nos.5,378,825, 5,386,023, 5,489,677, 5,602,240 and 5,610,289, all of whichare herein incorporated by reference.

Formacetal and thioformacetal linked oligonucleosides are prepared asdescribed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,264,562 and 5,264,564, herein incorporatedby reference.

Ethylene oxide linked oligonucleosides are prepared as described in U.S.Pat. No. 5,223,618, herein incorporated by reference.

Example 4 PNA Synthesis

Peptide nucleic acids (PNAS) are prepared in accordance with any of thevarious procedures referred to in Peptide Nucleic Acids (PNA):Synthesis, Properties and Potential Applications, Bioorganic & MedicinalChemistry, 1996, 4, 5-23. They may also be prepared in accordance withU.S. Pat. Nos. 5,539,082, 5,700,922, and 5,719,262, herein incorporatedby reference.

Example 5 Synthesis of Chimeric Oligonucleotides

Chimeric oligonucleotides, oligonucleosides or mixedoligonucleotides/oligonucleosides of the invention can be of severaldifferent types. These include a first type wherein the “gap” segment oflinked nucleosides is positioned between 5′ and 3′ “wing” segments oflinked nucleosides and a second “open end” type wherein the “gap”segment is located at either the 3′ or the 5′ terminus of the oligomericcompound. Oligonucleotides of the first type are also known in the artas “gapmers” or gapped oligonucleotides. Oligonucleotides of the secondtype are also known in the art as “hemimers” or “wingmers”.

[2′-O-Me]-[2′-deoxy]-[2′-O-Me] Chimeric PhosphorothioateOligonucleotides

Chimeric oligonucleotides having 2′-O-alkyl phosphorothioate and2′-deoxy phosphorothioate oligonucleotide segments are synthesized usingan Applied Biosystems automated DNA synthesizer Model 380B, as above.Oligonucleotides are synthesized using the automated synthesizer and2′-deoxy-5′-dimethoxytrityl-3′-O-phosphoramidite for the DNA portion and5′-dimethoxytrityl-2′-O-methyl-3′-O-phosphoramidite for 5′ and 3′ wings.The standard synthesis cycle is modified by increasing the wait stepafter the delivery of tetrazole and base to 600 s repeated four timesfor RNA and twice for 2′-O-methyl. The fully protected oligonucleotideis cleaved from the support and the phosphate group is deprotected in3:1 ammonia/ethanol at room temperature overnight then lyophilized todryness. Treatment in methanolic ammonia for 24 hrs at room temperatureis then done to deprotect all bases and sample was again lyophilized todryness. The pellet is resuspended in 1M TBAF in THF for 24 hrs at roomtemperature to deprotect the 2′ positions. The reaction is then quenchedwith 1 M TEAA and the sample is then reduced to 1/2 volume by rotovacbefore being desalted on a G25 size exclusion column. The oligorecovered is then analyzed spectrophotometrically for yield and forpurity by capillary electrophoresis and by mass spectrometry.

[2′-O-(2-Methoxyethyl)]-[2′-deoxy]-[2′-O-(Methoxyethyl)] ChimericPhosphorothioate Oligonucleotides

[2′-O-(2-methoxyethyl)]-[2′-deoxy]-[-2′-O-(methoxy-ethyl)] chimericphosphorothioate oligonucleotides were prepared as per the procedureabove for the 2′-O-methyl chimeric oligonucleotide, with thesubstitution of 2′-O-methoxyethyl) amidites for the 2′-O-methylamidites.

[2′-O-(2-Methoxyethyl)Phosphodiester]-[2′-deoxyPhosphorothioate]-[2′-O-(2-Methoxyethyl) Phosphodiester] ChimericOligonucleotides

[2′-O-(2-methoxyethyl phosphodiester]-[2′-deoxyphosphorothioate]-[2′-O-(methoxyethyl)phosphodiester] chimericoligonucleotides are prepared as per the above procedure for the2′-O-methyl chimeric oligonucleotide with the substitution of2′-O-(methoxyethyl) amidites for the 2′-O-methyl amidites, oxidizationwith iodine to generate the phosphodiester internucleotide linkageswithin the wing portions of the chimeric structures and sulfurizationutilizing 3,H-1,2 benzodithiole-3-one 1,1 dioxide (Beaucage Reagent) togenerate the phosphorothioate internucleotide linkages for the centergap.

Other chimeric oligonucleotides, chimeric oligonucleosides and mixedchimeric oligonucleotides/oligonucleosides are synthesized according toU.S. Pat. No. 5,623,065, herein incorporated by reference.

Example 6 Oligonucleotide Isolation

After cleavage from the controlled pore glass column (AppliedBiosystems) and deblocking in concentrated ammonium hydroxide at 55° C.for 18 hours, the oligonucleotides or oligonucleosides are purified byprecipitation twice out of 0.5 M NaCl with 2.5 volumes ethanol.Synthesized oligonucleotides were analyzed by polyacrylamide gelelectrophoresis on denaturing gels and judged to be at least 85% fulllength material. The relative amounts of phosphorothioate andphosphodiester linkages obtained in synthesis were periodically checkedby ³¹P nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, and for some studiesoligonucleotides were purified by HPLC, as described by Chiang et al.,J. Biol. Chem. 1991, 266, 18162-18171. Results obtained withHPLC-purified material were similar to those obtained with non-HPLCpurified material.

Example 7 Oligonucleotide Synthesis—96 Well Plate Format

Oligonucleotides were synthesized via solid phase P(III) phosphoramiditechemistry on an automated synthesizer capable of assembling 96 sequencessimultaneously in a standard 96 well format. Phosphodiesterinternucleotide linkages were afforded by oxidation with aqueous iodine.Phosphorothioate internucleotide linkages were generated bysulfurization utilizing 3,H-1,2 benzodithiole-3-one 1,1 dioxide(Beaucage Reagent) in anhydrous acetonitrile. Standard base-protectedbeta-cyanoethyldiisopropyl phosphoramidites were purchased fromcommercial vendors (e.g. PE-Applied Biosystems, Foster City, Calif., orPharmacia, Piscataway, N.J.). Non-standard nucleosides are synthesizedas per known literature or patented methods. They are utilized as baseprotected beta-cyanoethyldiisopropyl phosphoramidites.

Oligonucleotides were cleaved from support and deprotected withconcentrated NH₄OH at elevated temperature (55-60° C.) for 12-16 hoursand the released product then dried in vacuo. The dried product was thenre-suspended in sterile water to afford a master plate from which allanalytical and test plate samples are then diluted utilizing roboticpipettors.

Example 8 Oligonucleotide Analysis—96 Well Plate Format

The concentration of oligonucleotide in each well was assessed bydilution of samples and UV absorption spectroscopy. The full-lengthintegrity of the individual products was evaluated by capillaryelectrophoresis (CE) in either the 96 well format (Beckman P/ACE™ MDQ)or, for individually prepared samples, on a commercial CE apparatus(e.g., Beckman P/ACE™ 5000, ABI 270). Base and backbone composition wasconfirmed by mass analysis of the compounds utilizing electrospray-massspectroscopy. All assay test plates were diluted from the master plateusing single and multi-channel robotic pipettors. Plates were judged tobe acceptable if at least 85% of the compounds on the plate were atleast 85% full length.

Example 9 Cell Culture and Oligonucleotide Treatment

The effect of antisense compounds on target nucleic acid expression canbe tested in any of a variety of cell types provided that the targetnucleic acid is present at measurable levels. This can be routinelydetermined using, for example, PCR or Northern blot analysis. Thefollowing 6 cell types are provided for illustrative purposes, but othercell types can be routinely used, provided that the target is expressedin the cell type chosen. This can be readily determined by methodsroutine in the art, for example Northern blot analysis, Ribonucleaseprotection assays, or RT-PCR.

T-24 Cells

The human transitional cell bladder carcinoma cell line T-24 wasobtained from the American Type Culture Collection (ATCC) (Manassas,Va.). T-24 cells were routinely cultured in complete McCoy's 5A basalmedia (Gibco/Life Technologies, Gaithersburg, Md.) supplemented with 10%fetal calf serum (Gibco/Life Technologies, Gaithersburg, Md.),penicillin 100 units per mL, and streptomycin 100 micrograms per mL(Gibco/Life Technologies, Gaithersburg, Md.). Cells were routinelypassaged by trypsinization and dilution when they reached 90%confluence. Cells were seeded into 96-well plates (Falcon-Primaria#3872) at a density of 7000 cells/well for use in RT-PCR analysis.

For Northern blotting or other analysis, cells may be seeded onto 100 mmor other standard tissue culture plates and treated similarly, usingappropriate volumes of medium and oligonucleotide.

A549 Cells

The human lung carcinoma cell line A549 was obtained from the AmericanType Culture Collection (ATCC) (Manassas, Va.). A549 cells wereroutinely cultured in DMEM basal media (Gibco/Life Technologies,Gaithersburg, Md.) supplemented with 10% fetal calf serum (Gibco/LifeTechnologies, Gaithersburg, Md.), penicillin 100 units per mL, andstreptomycin 100 micrograms per mL (Gibco/Life Technologies,Gaithersburg, Md.). Cells were routinely passaged by trypsinization anddilution when they reached 90% confluence.

NHDF Cells

Human neonatal dermal fibroblast (NHDF) were obtained from the CloneticsCorporation (Walkersville Md.). NHDFs were routinely maintained inFibroblast Growth Medium (Clonetics Corporation, Walkersville Md.)supplemented as recommended by the supplier. Cells were maintained forup to 10 passages as recommended by the supplier.

HEK Cells

Human embryonic keratinocytes (HEK) were obtained from the CloneticsCorporation (Walkersville Md.). HEKs were routinely maintained inKeratinocyte Growth Medium (Clonetics Corporation, Walkersville Md.)formulated as recommended by the supplier. Cells were routinelymaintained for up to 10 passages as recommended by the supplier.

A431

A431 Cells

The human epidermoid carcinoma cell line A431 was obtained from theAmerican Type Culure Collection (Manassas, Va.). A431 cells wereroutinely cultured in DMEM, high glucose (Gibco/Life Technologies,Gaithersburg, Md.) supplemented with 10% fetal calf serum (Gibco/LifeTechnologies, Gaithersburg, Md.). Cells were routinely passaged bytrypsinization and dilution when they reached 90% confluence. Cells wereseeded into 96-well plates (Falcon-Primaria #3872) at a density of 7000cells/well for use in RT-PCR analysis.

For Northern blotting or other analysis, cells may be seeded onto 100 mmor other standard tissue culture plates and treated similarly, usingappropriate volumes of medium and oligonucleotide.

3T3-L1 Cells

The mouse embryonic adipocyte-like cell line 3T3-L1 was obtained fromthe American Type Culure Collection (Manassas, Va.). 3T3-L1 cells wereroutinely cultured in DMEM, high glucose (Gibco/Life Technologies,Gaithersburg, Md.) supplemented with 10% fetal calf serum (Gibco/LifeTechnologies, Gaithersburg, Md.). Cells were routinely passaged bytrypsinization and dilution when they reached 80% confluence. Cells wereseeded into 96-well plates (Falcon-Primaria #3872) at a density of 4000cells/well for use in RT-PCR analysis.

For Northern blotting or other analysis, cells may be seeded onto 100 mmor other standard tissue culture plates and treated similarly, usingappropriate volumes of medium and oligonucleotide.

Treatment with Antisense Compounds

When cells reached 80% confluency, they were treated witholigonucleotide. For cells grown in 96-well plates, wells were washedonce with 200 μL OPTI-MEM™-1 reduced-serum medium (Gibco BRL) and thentreated with 130 μL of OPTI-MEM™-1 containing 3.75 μg/mL LIPOFECTIN™(Gibco BRL) and the desired concentration of oligonucleotide. After 4-7hours of treatment, the medium was replaced with fresh medium. Cellswere harvested 16-24 hours after oligonucleotide treatment.

The concentration of oligonucleotide used varies from cell line to cellline. To determine the optimal oligonucleotide concentration for aparticular cell line, the cells are treated with a positive controloligonucleotide at a range of concentrations. For human cells thepositive control oligonucleotide is ISIS 13920, TCCGTCATCGCTCCTCAGGG,SEQ ID NO: 1, a 2′-O-methoxyethyl gapmer (2′-O-methoxyethyls shown inbold) with a phosphorothioate backbone which is targeted to human H-ras.For mouse or rat cells the positive control oligonucleotide is ISIS15770, ATGCATTCTGCCCCCAAGGA, SEQ ID NO: 2, a 2′-O-methoxyethyl gapmer(2′-O-methoxyethyls shown in bold) with a phosphorothioate backbonewhich is targeted to both mouse and rat c-raf. The concentration ofpositive control oligonucleotide that results in 80% inhibition ofc-Ha-ras (for ISIS 13920) or c-raf (for ISIS 15770) mRNA is thenutilized as the screening concentration for new oligonucleotides insubsequent experiments for that cell line. If 80% inhibition is notachieved, the lowest concentration of positive control oligonucleotidethat results in 60% inhibition of H-ras or c-raf mRNA is then utilizedas the oligonucleotide screening concentration in subsequent experimentsfor that cell line. If 60% inhibition is not achieved, that particularcell line is deemed as unsuitable for oligonucleotide transfectionexperiments.

Example 10 Analysis of Oligonucleotide Inhibition of Caspase 8Expression

Antisense modulation of caspase 8 expression can be assayed in a varietyof ways known in the art. For example, caspase 8 mRNA levels can bequantitated by, e.g., Northern blot analysis, competitive polymerasechain reaction (PCR), or real-time PCR (RT-PCR). Real-time quantitativePCR is presently preferred. RNA analysis can be performed on totalcellular RNA or poly(A)+ mRNA. Methods of RNA isolation are taught in,for example, Ausubel, F. M. et al., Current Protocols in MolecularBiology, Volume 1, pp. 4.1.1-4.2.9 and 4.5.1-4.5.3, John Wiley & Sons,Inc., 1993. Northern blot analysis is routine in the art and is taughtin, for example, Ausubel, F. M. et al., Current Protocols in MolecularBiology, Volume 1, pp. 4.2.1-4.2.9, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 1996.Real-time quantitative (PCR) can be conveniently accomplished using thecommercially available ABI PRISM™ 7700 Sequence Detection System,available from PE-Applied Biosystems, Foster City, Calif. and usedaccording to manufacturer's instructions. Prior to quantitative PCRanalysis, primer-probe sets specific to the target gene being measuredare evaluated for their ability to be “multiplexed” with a GAPDHamplification reaction. In multiplexing, both the target gene and theinternal standard gene GAPDH are amplified concurrently in a singlesample. In this analysis, mRNA isolated from untreated cells is seriallydiluted. Each dilution is amplified in the presence of primer-probe setsspecific for GAPDH only, target gene only (“single-plexing”), or both(multiplexing). Following PCR amplification, standard curves of GAPDHand target mRNA signal as a function of dilution are generated from boththe single-plexed and multiplexed samples. If both the slope andcorrelation coefficient of the GAPDH and target signals generated fromthe multiplexed samples fall within 10% of their corresponding valuesgenerated from the single-plexed samples, the primer-probe set specificfor that target is deemed as multiplexable. Other methods of PCR arealso known in the art.

Protein levels of caspase 8 can be quantitated in a variety of ways wellknown in the art, such as immunoprecipitation, Western blot analysis(immunoblotting), ELISA or fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS).Antibodies directed to caspase 8 can be identified and obtained from avariety of sources, such as the MSRS catalog of antibodies (AerieCorporation, Birmingham, Mich.), or can be prepared via conventionalantibody generation methods. Methods for preparation of polyclonalantisera are taught in, for example, Ausubel, F. M. et al., CurrentProtocols in Molecular Biology, Volume 2, pp. 11.12.1-11.12.9, JohnWiley & Sons, Inc., 1997. Preparation of monoclonal antibodies is taughtin, for example, Ausubel, F. M. et al., Current Protocols in MolecularBiology, Volume 2, pp. 11.4.1-11.11.5, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 1997.

Immunoprecipitation methods are standard in the art and can be found at,for example, Ausubel, F. M. et al., Current Protocols in MolecularBiology, Volume 2, pp. 10.16.1-10.16.11, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 1998.Western blot (immunoblot) analysis is standard in the art and can befound at, for example, Ausubel, F. M. et al., Current Protocols inMolecular Biology, Volume 2, pp. 10.8.1-10.8.21, John Wiley & Sons,Inc., 1997. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) are standard inthe art and can be found at, for example, Ausubel, F. M. et al., CurrentProtocols in Molecular Biology, Volume 2, pp. 11.2.1-11.2.22, John Wiley& Sons, Inc., 1991.

Exanple 11 Poly(A)+ mRNA Isolation

Poly(A)+ mRNA was isolated according to Miura et al., Clin. Chem., 1996,42, 1758-1764. Other methods for poly(A)+ mRNA isolation are taught in,for example, Ausubel, F. M. et al., Current Protocols in MolecularBiology, Volume 1, pp. 4.5.1-4.5.3, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 1993.Briefly, for cells grown on 96-well plates, growth medium was removedfrom the cells and each well was washed with 200 μL cold PBS. 60 μLlysis buffer (10 mM Tris-HCl, pH 7.6, 1 mM EDTA, 0.5 M NaCl, 0.5% NP-40,20 mM vanadyl-ribonucleoside complex) was added to each well, the platewas gently agitated and then incubated at room temperature for fiveminutes. 55 μL of lysate was transferred to Oligo d(T) coated 96-wellplates (AGCT Inc., Irvine Calif.). Plates were incubated for 60 minutesat room temperature, washed 3 times with 200 μL of wash buffer (10 mMTris-HCl pH 7.6, 1 mM EDTA, 0.3 M NaCl). After the final wash, the platewas blotted on paper towels to remove excess wash buffer and thenair-dried for 5 minutes. 60 μL of elution buffer (5 mM Tris-HCl pH 7.6),preheated to 70° C. was added to each well, the plate was incubated on a90° C. hot plate for 5 minutes, and the eluate was then transferred to afresh 96-well plate.

Cells grown on 100 mm or other standard plates may be treated similarly,using appropriate volumes of all solutions.

Example 12 Total RNA Isolation

Total mRNA was isolated using an RNEASY 96™ kit and buffers purchasedfrom Qiagen Inc. (Valencia Calif.) following the manufacturer'srecommended procedures. Briefly, for cells grown on 96-well plates,growth medium was removed from the cells and each well was washed with200 μL cold PBS. 100 μL Buffer RLT was added to each well and the platevigorously agitated for 20 seconds. 100 μL of 70% ethanol was then addedto each well and the contents mixed by pipetting three times up anddown. The samples were then transferred to the RNEASY 96™ well plateattached to a QIAVAC™ manifold fitted with a waste collection tray andattached to a vacuum source. Vacuum was applied for 15 seconds. 1 mL ofBuffer RW1 was added to each well of the RNEASY 96™ plate and the vacuumagain applied for 15 seconds. 1 mL of Buffer RPE was then added to eachwell of the RNEASY 96™ plate and the vacuum applied for a period of 15seconds. The Buffer RPE wash was then repeated and the vacuum wasapplied for an additional 10 minutes. The plate was then removed fromthe QIAVAC™ manifold and blotted dry on paper towels. The plate was thenre-attached to the QIAVAC™ manifold fitted with a collection tube rackcontaining 1.2 mL collection tubes. RNA was then eluted by pipetting 60μL water into each well, incubating 1 minute, and then applying thevacuum for 30 seconds. The elution step was repeated with an additional60 μL water.

The repetitive pipetting and elution steps may be automated using aQIAGEN Bio-Robot 9604 (Qiagen, Inc., Valencia Calif.). Essentially,after lysing of the cells on the culture plate, the plate is transferredto the robot deck where the pipetting, DNase treatment and elution stepsare carried out.

Example 13 Real-time Quantitative PCR Analysis of Caspase 8 mRNA Levels

Quantitation of caspase 8 mRNA levels was determined by real-timequantitative PCR using the ABI PRISM™ 7700 Sequence Detection System(PE-Applied Biosystems, Foster City, Calif.) according to manufacturer'sinstructions. This is a closed-tube, non-gel-based, fluorescencedetection system which allows high-throughput quantitation of polymerasechain reaction (PCR) products in real-time. As opposed to standard PCR,in which amplification products are quantitated after the PCR iscompleted, products in real-time quantitative PCR are quantitated asthey accumulate. This is accomplished by including in the PCR reactionan oligonucleotide probe that anneals specifically between the forwardand reverse PCR primers, and contains two fluorescent dyes. A reporterdye (e.g., JOE, FAM, or VIC, obtained from either Operon TechnologiesInc., Alameda, Calif. or PE-Applied Biosystems, Foster City, Calif.) isattached to the 5′ end of the probe and a quencher dye (e.g., TAMRA,obtained from either Operon Technologies Inc., Alameda, Calif. orPE-Applied Biosystems, Foster City, Calif.) is attached to the 3′ end ofthe probe. When the probe and dyes are intact, reporter dye emission isquenched by the proximity of the 3′ quencher dye. During amplification,annealing of the probe to the target sequence creates a substrate thatcan be cleaved by the 5′-exonuclease activity of Taq polymerase. Duringthe extension phase of the PCR amplification cycle, cleavage of theprobe by Taq polymerase releases the reporter dye from the remainder ofthe probe (and hence from the quencher moiety) and a sequence-specificfluorescent signal is generated. With each cycle, additional reporterdye molecules are cleaved from their respective probes, and thefluorescence intensity is monitored at regular intervals by laser opticsbuilt into the ABI PRISM™ 7700 Sequence Detection System. In each assay,a series of parallel reactions containing serial dilutions of mRNA fromuntreated control samples generates a standard curve that is used toquantitate the percent inhibition after antisense oligonucleotidetreatment of test samples.

PCR reagents were obtained from PE-Applied Biosystems, Foster City,Calif. RT-PCR reactions were carried out by adding 25 μL PCR cocktail(1×TAQMAN™ buffer A, 5.5 mM MgCl₂, 300 μM each of dATP, dCTP and dGTP,600 μM of dUTP, 100 nM each of forward primer, reverse primer, andprobe, 20 Units RNAse inhibitor, 1.25 Units AMPLITAQ GOLD™, and 12.5Units MuLV reverse transcriptase) to 96 well plates containing 25 μLpoly(A) mRNA solution. The RT reaction was carried out by incubation for30 minutes at 48° C. Following a 10 minute incubation at 95° C. toactivate the AMPLITAQ GOLD™, 40 cycles of a two-step PCR protocol werecarried out: 95° C. for 15 seconds (denaturation) followed by 60° C. for1.5 minutes (annealing/extension).

Probes and primers to human caspase 8 were designed to hybridize to ahuman caspase 8 sequence, using published sequence information (GenBankaccession number U60520, incorporated herein as SEQ ID NO:3). For humancaspase 8 the PCR primers were:

forward primer: CAAGAGGAAATCTCCAAATGCAA (SEQ ID NO: 4)

reverse primer: CTCCCAGGATGACCCTCTTCT (SEQ ID NO: 5) and the

PCR probe was: FAM-CTGGATGATGACATGAACCTGCTGGATATTTTC-TAMRA (SEQ ID NO:6) where FAM (PE-Applied Biosystems, Foster City, Calif.) is thefluorescent reporter dye) and TAMRA (PE-Applied Biosystems, Foster City,Calif.) is the quencher dye. For human GAPDH the PCR primers were:

forward primer: GAAGGTGAAGGTCGGAGTC (SEQ ID NO: 7)

reverse primer: GAAGATGGTGATGGGATTTC (SEQ ID NO: 8) and the

PCR probe was: 5′ JOE-CAAGCTTCCCGTTCTCAGCC-TAMRA 3′ (SEQ ID NO: 9) whereJOE (PE-Applied Biosystems, Foster City, Calif.) is the fluorescentreporter dye) and TAMRA (PE-Applied Biosystems, Foster City, Calif.) isthe quencher dye.

Probes and primers to mouse caspase 8 were designed to hybridize to amouse caspase 8 sequence, using published sequence information (GenBankaccession number AJ007749, incorporated herein as SEQ ID NO:10). Formouse caspase 8 the PCR primers were:

forward primer: GAGGATTATGAAAGATCAAGCACAGA (SEQ ID NO:11)

reverse primer: TCCGTGACTCACTGTCTTGTTCTC (SEQ ID NO: 12) and the PCRprobe was: FAM-AAATGGCGGAACTGTGTGACTCGCC-TAMRA (SEQ ID NO: 13) where FAM(PE-Applied Biosystems, Foster City, Calif.) is the fluorescent reporterdye) and TAMRA (PE-Applied Biosystems, Foster City, Calif.) is thequencher dye. For mouse GAPDH the PCR primers were:

forward primer: GGCAAATTCAACGGCACAGT (SEQ ID NO: 14)

reverse primer: GGGTCTCGCTCCTGGAAGCT (SEQ ID NO: 15) and the

PCR probe was: 5′ JOE-AAGGCCGAGAATGGGAAGCTTGTCATC-TAMRA 3′ (SEQ ID NO:16) where JOE (PE-Applied Biosystems, Foster City, Calif.) is thefluorescent reporter dye) and TAMRA (PE-Applied Biosystems, Foster City,Calif.) is the quencher dye.

Example 14 Northern Blot Analysis of Caspase 8 mRNA Levels

Eighteen hours after antisense treatment, cell monolayers were washedtwice with cold PBS and lysed in 1 mL RNAZOL™ (TEL-TEST “B” Inc.,Friendswood, Tex.). Total RNA was prepared following manufacturer'srecommended protocols. Twenty micrograms of total RNA was fractionatedby electrophoresis through 1.2% agarose gels containing 1.1%formaldehyde using a MOPS buffer system (AMRESCO, Inc. Solon, Ohio). RNAwas transferred from the gel to HYBOND™-N+ nylon membranes (AmershamPharmacia Biotech, Piscataway, N.J.) by overnight capillary transferusing a Northern/Southern Transfer buffer system (TEL-TEST “B” Inc.,Friendswood, Tex.). RNA transfer was confirmed by UV visualization.Membranes were fixed by UV cross-linking using a STRATALINKER™ UVCrosslinker 2400 (Stratagene, Inc, La Jolla, Calif.) and then robedusing QUICKHYB™ hybridization solution (Stratagene, La Jolla, Calif.)using manufacturer's recommendations for stringent conditions.

To detect human caspase 8, a human caspase 8 specific probe was preparedby PCR using the forward primer CAAGAGGAAATCTCCAAATGCAA (SEQ ID NO: 4)and the reverse primer CTCCCAGGATGACCCTCTTCT (SEQ ID NO: 5). Tonormalize for variations in loading and transfer efficiency membraneswere stripped and probed for human glyceraldehyde-3-phosphatedehydrogenase (GAPDH) RNA (Clontech, Palo Alto, Calif.).

To detect mouse caspase 8, a mouse caspase 8 specific probe was preparedby PCR using the forward primer GAGGATTATGAAAGATCAAGCACAGA (SEQ IDNO:11) and the reverse primer TCCGTGACTCACTGTCTTGTTCTC (SEQ ID NO: 12).To normalize for variations in loading and transfer efficiency membraneswere stripped and probed for mouse glyceraldehyde-3-phosphatedehydrogenase (GAPDH) RNA (Clontech, Palo Alto, Calif.).

Hybridized membranes were visualized and quantitated using aPHOSPHORIMAGER™ and IMAGEQUANT™ Software V3.3 (Molecular Dynamics,Sunnyvale, Calif.). Data was normalized to GAPDH levels in untreatedcontrols.

Example 15 Antisense Inhibition of Human Caspase 8 Expression byChimeric Phosphorothioate Oligonucleotides Having 2′-MOE Wing and aDeoxy Gap

In accordance with the present invention, a series of olgonucleotideswere designed to target different regions of the human caspase 8 RNA,using published sequences (GenBank accession number U60520, incorporatedherein as SEQ ID NO: 3). The oligonucleotides are shown in Table 1.“Target site” indicates the first (5′-most) nucleotide number on theparticular target sequence to which the oligonucleotide binds. Allcompounds in Table 1 are chimeric olgonucleotides (“gapmers”) 20nucleotides in length, composed of a central “gap” region consisting often 2′-deoxynucleotides, which is flanked on both sides (5′ and 3′directions) by five-nucleotide “wings”. The wings are composed of2′-methoxyethyl (2′-MOE)nucleotides. The internucleoside (backbone)linkages are phosphorothioate (P═S) throughout the oligonucleotide. Allcytidine residues are 5-methylcytidines. The compounds were analyzed fortheir effect on human caspase 8 mRNA levels by quantitative real-timePCR as described in other examples herein. Data are average from twoexperiments. If present, “N.D.” indicates “no data”.

TABLE 1 Inhibition of human caspase 8 mRNA levels by chimericphosphorothioate oligonucleotides having 2′-MOE wings and a deoxy gapTARGET TARGET SEQ ID ISIS # REGION SEQ ID NO SITE SEQUENCE % INHIB NO107609 5′ UTR 3   8 aagctcagtctgaacaacca  0 17 107610 5′ UTR 3  64caggcagccaccagtcacct  0 18 107611 5′ UTR 3  92 gctaattctcttgcccactg  019 107612 5′ UTR 3  120 ctgctcagacagcagatgct 53 20 107613 5′ UTR 3  166gccaaggcccaacctcacgt  0 21 107614 5′ UTR 3  199 aaggttcaagtgaccaactc  022 107615 5′ UTR 3  224 aggagaatataatctcaata  0 23 107616 Start 3  252tctgctgaagtccatctttt  3 24 Codon 107617 Start 3  254tttctgctgaagtccatctt 11 25 Codon 107618 Start 3  256gatttctgctgaagtccatc 22 26 Codon 107619 Start 3  258aagatttctgctgaagtcca 19 27 Codon 107620 Coding 3  260taaagatttctgctgaagtc 24 28 107621 Coding 3  264 atcataaagatttctgctga 2129 107622 Coding 3  292 gatcttcactgtccagttgt 23 30 107623 Coding 3  316ggctcaggaacttgagggag  0 31 107624 Coding 3  340 gcttcctttgcggaatgtag 1332 107625 Coding 3  364 tcaaggcatccttgatgggt 25 33 107626 Coding 3  393tctcttttcctggagtctct 14 34 107627 Coding 3  417 ggacagattgctttcctcca 3635 107628 Coding 3  441 tcggaagagcagctccttca 16 36 107629 Coding 3  465aatcagcaaatccagtctat  6 37 107630 Coding 3  491 tcctcctttctagtgtttag  038 107631 Coding 3  514 gtgtctgaagttccctttcc 33 39 107632 Coding 3  536gcagaaatttgagccctgcc 25 40 107633 Coding 3  557 cggcagaagtggaacctgta  041 107634 Coding 3  579 gtttgcttcagcccagctca  0 42 107635 Coding 3  602acagactgtgtctggcactg 19 43 107636 Coding 3  624 atcgaccctccgccagaaag  444 107637 Coding 3  647 agcatgacccttattaatag  0 45 107638 Coding 3  669cacttcttctgaaatctgat  3 46 107639 Coding 3  692 aaagacctcaattctgatct 1847 107640 Coding 3  713 tcctcttgcaaaagaaactt 21 48 107641 Coding 3  734tccagtttgcatttggagat 38 49 107642 Coding 3  756 atccagcaggttcatgtcat 6850 107643 Coding 3  777 cttctccatctctatgaaaa  3 51 107644 Coding 3  798tccttctcccaggatgaccc 35 52 107645 Coding 3  819 tcttttcaggatgtccaact 1253 107646 Coding 3  841 tcttgttgatttgggcacag 24 54 107647 Coding 3  863tcgttgattatcttcagcag  0 55 107648 Coding 3  886 cccctttgctgaattcttca 1656 107649 Coding 3  907 tcattaccccacacaactcc  4 57 107650 Coding 3  928ctcttggagagtccgagatt 26 58 107651 Coding 3  950 gtctgtgattcactatcctg 2159 107652 Coding 3  971 atttggtaaactttgtccaa 47 60 107653 Coding 3  992tatccccgaggtttgctttt 33 61 107654 Coding 3 1013 tgattgttgatgatcagaca 3062 107655 Coding 3 1034 tcccgtgcttttgcaaaatt 31 63 107656 Coding 3 1058atgctgtgaagtttgggcac 30 64 107657 Coding 3 1079 tgtgttccattcctgtccct 2165 107658 Coding 3 1104 cgtggtcaaagcccctgcat  0 66 107659 Coding 3 1126caaaatgaagctcttcaaag  0 67 107660 Coding 3 1164 gatttgctctactgtgcagt 2468 107661 Coding 3 1185 gtagattttcaaaatctcat  7 69 107662 Coding 3 1205ttactgtggtccatgagttg  0 70 107663 Coding 3 1225 agcagatgaagcagtccatg 2171 107664 Coding 3 1245 gtctccatgggagaggatac 16 72 107665 Coding 3 1266agtgccatagatgatgccct 40 73 107666 Coding 3 1306 actgagatgtcagctcatag 2974 107667 Coding 3 1327 aagggcacttcaaaccagtg 22 75 107668 Coding 3 1347tttgggttttccagcaaggg  0 76 107669 Coding 3 1402 caacaggtatacctttctgg 3477 107670 Coding 3 1424 ggttgctcctctgaatcagt 34 78 107671 Coding 3 1447atgataaatccatttctaaa  0 79 1O7672 Coding 3 1467 gatatatctcgtttgaggtg 1380 107673 Coding 3 1490 agcagaaagtcagcctcatc 15 81 107674 Coding 3 1512gttattcacagtggccatcc 34 82 107675 Coding 3 1534 cagggtttcggtaggaaaca  083 107676 Coding 3 1558 actggatgtaccaggttccc 41 84 107677 Coding 3 1580tctctcaggctctggcaaag 16 85 107678 Coding 3 1601 tcatcgcctcgaggacatcg 1686 107679 Coding 3 1625 acttcagtcaggatggtgag 27 87 107680 Coding 3 1647cttgttgcttacttcatagt 19 89 107681 Coding 3 1684 gctgaggcatctgtttcccc 4289 107682 Stop 3 1729 atcaatcagaagggaagaca  0 90 Codon 107683 Stop 31740 aaaatagcaccatcaatcag 15 91 Codon 107684 3′ UTR 3 1751acaaaacaaacaaaatagca  0 90 107685 3′ UTR 3 1789 cgacagagcgagattctgtc  793 107686 3′ UTR 3 1812 acgccactgcactccagcct 15 94 107687 3′ UTR 3 1832gcttgcggtgagccgagatc 18 95 107688 3′ UTR 3 1853 ggcctgaacccgggaggcgg  096

As shown in Table 1, SEQ ID NOs 20, 26, 28, 29, 30, 33, 35, 39, 40, 48,49, 50, 52, 54, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 68, 71, 73, 74, 75, 77,78, 82, 84, 87 and 89 demonstrated at least 20% inhibition of humancaspase 8 expression in this assay and are therefore preferred.

Example 17 Antisense Inhibition of Mouse Caspase 8 Expression byChimeric Phosphorothioate Oligonucleotides Having 2′-MOE Wings and aDeoxy Gap

In accordance with the present invention, a second series ofoligonucleotides were designed to target different regions of the mousecaspase 8 RNA, using published sequences (GenBank accession numberAJ007749, incorporated herein as SEQ ID NO: 10). The oligonucleotidesare shown in Table 2. “Target site” indicates the first (5′-most)nucleotide number on the particular target sequence to which theoligonucleotide binds. All compounds in Table 2 are chimericoligonucleotides (“gapmers”) 20 nucleotides in length, composed of acentral “gap” region consisting of ten 2′-deoxynucleotides, which isflanked on both sides (5′ and 3′ directions) by five-nucleotide “wings”.The wings are composed of 2′-methoxyethyl (2′-MOE)nucleotides. Theinternucleoside (backbone) linkages are phosphorothioate (P═S)throughout the oligonucleotide. All cytidine residues are5-methylcytidines. The compounds were analyzed for their effect on mousecaspase 8 mRNA levels by quantitative real-time PCR as described inother examples herein. Data are averages from two experiments. Ifpresent, “N.D.” indicates “no data”.

TABLE 2 Inhibition of mouse caspase 8 mRNA levels by chimericphosphorothioate oligonucleotides having 2′-MOE wings and deoxy gapTARGET TARGET SEQ ID ISIS # REGION SEQ ID NO SITE SEQUENCE % INHIB NO107689 5′ UTR 10   1 acctgtggccgagtacctgc 52  97 107690 5′ UTR 10  22tcaagaggtagaagagccgt 55  98 107691 Start 10  30 cattcttatcaagaggtaga  0 99 Codon 107692 Start 10  36 gaaatccattcttatcaaga 24 100 Codon 107693Start 10  43 aactctggaaatccattcct 64 101 Codon 107694 Coding 10  50taaagacaactctggaaatc 32 102 107695 Coding 10  66 ttcttcagcaatagcataaa 31103 107696 Coding 10  83 aggtcttcactgcccagttc 45 104 107697 Coding 10 101 aggaacttgagggcagccag 14 105 107698 Coding 10  120tgggatgtagtccaagcaca 62 106 107699 Coding 10  138 ggtctcctgcttcttgtgtg40 107 107700 Coding 10  155 ttctgggcatcctcgatggt 55 108 107701 Coding10  176 tcccgaagcctcagaaatag 35 109 107702 Coding 10  195ttcctccaacatcccctttt 22 110 107703 Coding 10  214 tcaggaaagacagattgcct39 111 107704 Coding 10  235 tgatgtggaaaagcagctct 57 112 107705 Coding10  254 accagcaggtcccaccgact 83 113 107706 Coding 10  273gttgcagtctaggaagttga 50 114 107707 Coding 10  292 ctctcaccatctcctctcgg39 115 107708 Coding 10  312 attgtctgggtcccgcagct 69 116 107709 Coding10  332 ctgtagggagaaatctggac 45 117 107710 Coding 10  354tgagagcttaaagagcatga 44 118 107711 Coding 10  374 tccaactcgctcacttcttc44 119 107712 Coding 10  392 aacttaaaagatctcaattc 4 120 107713 Coding 10 408 ctcattgttcaaaaggaact 46 121 107714 Coding 10  443aggctcaagtcatcttccag 54 122 107715 Coding 10  478 tggtcctcttctccatttct97 123 107716 Coding 10  496 agttattttctgccagcatg 67 124 107717 Coding10  515 attgattttagggtttccaa 26 125 107718 Coding 10  533ttgttgacctggtcacagat 51 126 107719 Coding 10  550 tcttccccagcaggctcttg60 127 107720 Coding 10  568 atctttcataatcctcgatc 31 128 107721 Coding10  584 cttctctctgtgcttgatct 92 129 107722 Coding 10  602cttccttcaagactcattct 31 130 107723 Coding 10  620 gaaggtggcaactcttccct79 131 107724 Coding 10  638 ctcatctcatccaaaactga 5 132 107725 Coding 10 656 agttccgccattttgaggct 79 133 107726 Coding 10  673ctcttggcgagtcacacagt 68 134 107727 Coding 10  690 tgactcactgtcttgttctc39 135 107728 Coding 10  708 aactttgtctgaagtccgtg 61 136 107729 Coding10  727 gtttgttcttcatttggtaa 50 137 107730 Coding 10  747gatcagacagtatccccgag 100  138 107731 Coding 10  766 tgaaatcatgattgttgatg23 139 107732 Coding 10  783 gtcttcccgggccttgctga 81 140 107733 Coding10  800 tttcggagttgggttatgtc 52 141 107734 Coding 10  834tttatcacagtctgttcctt 65 142 107735 Coding 10  850 tcttactcagagcctcttta24 143 107736 Coding 10  868 aatgaagctccttaaaggtc 41 144 107737 Coding10  885 gtaagatactatctcaaaat 48 145 107738 Coding 10  903atttgcagtgcagtcgtcgt 73 146 107739 Coding 10  921 tagaatctcgtggatttcat47 147 107740 Coding 10  938 gcgctttggtagccttctag 5i 148 107741 Coding10  955 ctttgttcttgtggtctgcg 49 149 107742 Coding 10  972acagcagatgaagcagtctt 36 150 107743 Coding 10  990 gtcaccgtgggataagatac54 151 107744 Coding 10 1008 tccatagacgacacccttgt 36 152 107745 Coding10 1027 aggcctccttcccatccgtt 79 153 107746 Coding 10 1045attgtcaggtcatagatggag 16 154 107747 Coding 10 1063 ttgaaccagtgaagtaagat23 155 107748 Coding 10 1081 cagacagggaagggcacttt 31 156 107749 Coding10 1098 aaagatcttgggtttcccag 69 157 107750 Coding 10 1135ctttctggaagttacttcct 44 158 107751 Coding 10 1152 tgcctcatcaggcactcctt60 159 107752 Coding 10 1169 ttctgttgctcgaagcctgc 45 160 107753 Coding10 1189 aatccacttctaaagtgtgg 53 161 107754 Coding 10 1207agttcttgtgagatgatgaa 35 162 107755 Coding 10 1226 tctgcctcatccggaatata62 163 107756 Coding 10 1244 gccattcccagcagaaagtc 26 164 107757 Coding10 1263 aacgcagttcttcaccgtag 63 165 107758 Coding 10 1284attcacaggatctcggtagg 69 166 107759 Coding 10 1303 actgaatataccaggttcca52 167 107760 Coding 10 1324 ccctcaggctctggcaaagt 52 168 107761 Coding10 1344 atctccttgaggacatcttt 23 169 107762 Coding 10 1362caggatgctaagaatgtcat 46 170 107763 Coding 10 1380 gtcatagttcacgccagtca57 171 107764 Coding 10 1403 cttcctgtcgtctttattgct 51 172 107765 Coding10 1424 ggcatctgctttcccttgtt 68 173 107766 Coding 10 1443tagtgtgaaggtgggctgtg 26 174 107767 Coding 10 1463 gggaagaagagcttcttccg25 175 107768 Stop 10 1469 tagggagggaagaagagctt 18 176 Codon

As shown in Table 2, SEQ ID NOs 97, 98, 100, 101, 102, 103, 104, 106,107, 108, 109, 110, 111, 112, 113, 114, 115, 116, 117, 118, 119, 121,122, 123, 124, 125, 126, 127, 128, 129, 130, 131, 133, 134, 135, 136,137, 138, 139, 140, 141, 142, 143, 144, 145, 146, 147, 148, 149, 150,151, 152, 153, 155, 156, 157, 158, 159, 160, 161, 162, 163, 164, 165,166, 167, 168, 169, 170, 171, 172, 173, 174 and 175 demonstrated atleast 20% inhibition of mouse caspase 8 expression in this experimentand are therefore preferred.

Example 17 Western Blot Analysis of Caspase 8 Protein Levels

Western blot analysis (immunoblot analysis) is carried out usingstandard methods. Cells are harvested 16-20 h after oligonucleotidetreatment, washed once with PBS, suspended in Laemmli buffer (100ul/well), boiled for 5 minutes and loaded on a 16% SDS-PAGE gel. Gelsare run for 1.5 hours at 150 V, and transferred to membrane for westernblotting. Appropriate primary antibody directed to caspase 8 is used,with a radiolabelled or fluorescently labeled secondary antibodydirected against the primary antibody species. Bands are visualizedusing a PHOSPHORIMAGER™ (Molecular Dynamics, Sunnyvale Calif.).

176 1 20 DNA Artificial Sequence Antisense Oligonucleotide 1 tccgtcatcgctcctcaggg 20 2 20 DNA Artificial Sequence Antisense Oligonucleotide 2atgcattctg cccccaagga 20 3 1883 DNA Homo sapiens CDS (257)...(1747) 3tgaaggctgg ttgttcagac tgagcttcct gcctgcctgt accccgccaa cagcttcaga 60agaaggtgac tggtggctgc ctgaggaata ccagtgggca agagaattag catttctgga 120gcatctgctg tctgagcagc ccctgggtgc gtccactttc tgggcacgtg aggttgggcc 180ttggccgcct gagcccttga gttggtcact tgaaccttgg gaatattgag attatattct 240cctgcctttt aaaaag atg gac ttc agc aga aat ctt tat gat att ggg gaa 292Met Asp Phe Ser Arg Asn Leu Tyr Asp Ile Gly Glu 1 5 10 caa ctg gac agtgaa gat ctg gcc tcc ctc aag ttc ctg agc ctg gac 340 Gln Leu Asp Ser GluAsp Leu Ala Ser Leu Lys Phe Leu Ser Leu Asp 15 20 25 tac att ccg caa aggaag caa gaa ccc atc aag gat gcc ttg atg tta 388 Tyr Ile Pro Gln Arg LysGln Glu Pro Ile Lys Asp Ala Leu Met Leu 30 35 40 ttc cag aga ctc cag gaaaag aga atg ttg gag gaa agc aat ctg tcc 436 Phe Gln Arg Leu Gln Glu LysArg Met Leu Glu Glu Ser Asn Leu Ser 45 50 55 60 ttc ctg aag gag ctg ctcttc cga att aat aga ctg gat ttg ctg att 484 Phe Leu Lys Glu Leu Leu PheArg Ile Asn Arg Leu Asp Leu Leu Ile 65 70 75 acc tac cta aac act aga aaggag gag atg gaa agg gaa ctt cag aca 532 Thr Tyr Leu Asn Thr Arg Lys GluGlu Met Glu Arg Glu Leu Gln Thr 80 85 90 cca ggc agg gct caa att tct gcctac agg ttc cac ttc tgc cgc atg 580 Pro Gly Arg Ala Gln Ile Ser Ala TyrArg Phe His Phe Cys Arg Met 95 100 105 agc tgg gct gaa gca aac agc cagtgc cag aca cag tct gta cct ttc 628 Ser Trp Ala Glu Ala Asn Ser Gln CysGln Thr Gln Ser Val Pro Phe 110 115 120 tgg cgg agg gtc gat cat cta ttaata agg gtc atg ctc tat cag att 676 Trp Arg Arg Val Asp His Leu Leu IleArg Val Met Leu Tyr Gln Ile 125 130 135 140 tca gaa gaa gtg agc aga tcagaa ttg agg tct ttt aag ttt ctt ttg 724 Ser Glu Glu Val Ser Arg Ser GluLeu Arg Ser Phe Lys Phe Leu Leu 145 150 155 caa gag gaa atc tcc aaa tgcaaa ctg gat gat gac atg aac ctg ctg 772 Gln Glu Glu Ile Ser Lys Cys LysLeu Asp Asp Asp Met Asn Leu Leu 160 165 170 gat att ttc ata gag atg gagaag agg gtc atc ctg gga gaa gga aag 820 Asp Ile Phe Ile Glu Met Glu LysArg Val Ile Leu Gly Glu Gly Lys 175 180 185 ttg gac atc ctg aaa aga gtctgt gcc caa atc aac aag agc ctg ctg 868 Leu Asp Ile Leu Lys Arg Val CysAla Gln Ile Asn Lys Ser Leu Leu 190 195 200 aag ata atc aac gac tat gaagaa ttc agc aaa ggg gag gag ttg tgt 916 Lys Ile Ile Asn Asp Tyr Glu GluPhe Ser Lys Gly Glu Glu Leu Cys 205 210 215 220 ggg gta atg aca atc tcggac tct cca aga gaa cag gat agt gaa tca 964 Gly Val Met Thr Ile Ser AspSer Pro Arg Glu Gln Asp Ser Glu Ser 225 230 235 cag act ttg gac aaa gtttac caa atg aaa agc aaa cct cgg gga tac 1012 Gln Thr Leu Asp Lys Val TyrGln Met Lys Ser Lys Pro Arg Gly Tyr 240 245 250 tgt ctg atc atc aac aatcac aat ttt gca aaa gca cgg gag aaa gtg 1060 Cys Leu Ile Ile Asn Asn HisAsn Phe Ala Lys Ala Arg Glu Lys Val 255 260 265 ccc aaa ctt cac agc attagg gac agg aat gga aca cac ttg gat gca 1108 Pro Lys Leu His Ser Ile ArgAsp Arg Asn Gly Thr His Leu Asp Ala 270 275 280 ggg gct ttg acc acg accttt gaa gag ctt cat ttt gag atc aag ccc 1156 Gly Ala Leu Thr Thr Thr PheGlu Glu Leu His Phe Glu Ile Lys Pro 285 290 295 300 cac cat gac tgc acagta gag caa atc tat gag att ttg aaa atc tac 1204 His His Asp Cys Thr ValGlu Gln Ile Tyr Glu Ile Leu Lys Ile Tyr 305 310 315 caa ctc atg gac cacagt aac atg gac tgc ttc atc tgc tgt atc ctc 1252 Gln Leu Met Asp His SerAsn Met Asp Cys Phe Ile Cys Cys Ile Leu 320 325 330 tcc cat gga gac aagggc atc atc tat ggc act gat gga cag gag gcc 1300 Ser His Gly Asp Lys GlyIle Ile Tyr Gly Thr Asp Gly Gln Glu Ala 335 340 345 ccc atc tat gag ctgaca tct cag ttc act ggt ttg aag tgc cct tcc 1348 Pro Ile Tyr Glu Leu ThrSer Gln Phe Thr Gly Leu Lys Cys Pro Ser 350 355 360 ctt gct gga aaa cccaaa gtg ttt ttt att cag gct tgt cag ggg gat 1396 Leu Ala Gly Lys Pro LysVal Phe Phe Ile Gln Ala Cys Gln Gly Asp 365 370 375 380 aac tac cag aaaggt ata cct gtt gag act gat tca gag gag caa ccc 1444 Asn Tyr Gln Lys GlyIle Pro Val Glu Thr Asp Ser Glu Glu Gln Pro 385 390 395 tat tta gaa atggat tta tca tca cct caa acg aga tat atc ccg gat 1492 Tyr Leu Glu Met AspLeu Ser Ser Pro Gln Thr Arg Tyr Ile Pro Asp 400 405 410 gag gct gac tttctg ctg ggg atg gcc act gtg aat aac tgt gtt tcc 1540 Glu Ala Asp Phe LeuLeu Gly Met Ala Thr Val Asn Asn Cys Val Ser 415 420 425 tac cga aac cctgca gag gga acc tgg tac atc cag tca ctt tgc cag 1588 Tyr Arg Asn Pro AlaGlu Gly Thr Trp Tyr Ile Gln Ser Leu Cys Gln 430 435 440 agc ctg aga gagcga tgt cct cga ggc gat gat att ctc acc atc ctg 1636 Ser Leu Arg Glu ArgCys Pro Arg Gly Asp Asp Ile Leu Thr Ile Leu 445 450 455 460 act gaa gtgaac tat gaa gta agc aac aag gat gac aag aaa aac atg 1684 Thr Glu Val AsnTyr Glu Val Ser Asn Lys Asp Asp Lys Lys Asn Met 465 470 475 ggg aaa cagatg cct cag cct act ttc aca cta aga aaa aaa ctt gtc 1732 Gly Lys Gln MetPro Gln Pro Thr Phe Thr Leu Arg Lys Lys Leu Val 480 485 490 ttc cct tctgat tga tggtgctatt ttgtttgttt tgttttgttt tgtttttttg 1787 Phe Pro Ser Asp495 agacagaatc tcgctctgtc gcccaggctg gagtgcagtg gcgtgatctc ggctcaccgc1847 aagctccgcc tcccgggttc aggccattct cctgct 1883 4 23 DNA ArtificialSequence PCR Primer 4 caagaggaaa tctccaaatg caa 23 5 21 DNA ArtificialSequence PCR Primer 5 ctcccaggat gaccctcttc t 21 6 33 DNA ArtificialSequence PCR Probe 6 ctggatgatg acatgaacct gctggatatt ttc 33 7 19 DNAArtificial Sequence PCR Primer 7 gaaggtgaag gtcggagtc 19 8 20 DNAArtificial Sequence PCR Primer 8 gaagatggtg atgggatttc 20 9 20 DNAArtificial Sequence PCR Probe 9 caagcttccc gttctcagcc 20 10 1489 DNA Musmusculus CDS (47)...(1489) 10 gcaggtactc ggccacaggt tacggctcttctacctcttg ataaga atg gat ttc 55 Met Asp Phe 1 cag agt tgt ctt tat gctatt gct gaa gaa ctg ggc agt gaa gac ctg 103 Gln Ser Cys Leu Tyr Ala IleAla Glu Glu Leu Gly Ser Glu Asp Leu 5 10 15 gct gcc ctc aag ttc ctg tgcttg gac tac atc cca cac aag aag cag 151 Ala Ala Leu Lys Phe Leu Cys LeuAsp Tyr Ile Pro His Lys Lys Gln 20 25 30 35 gag acc atc gag gat gcc cagaag cta ttt ctg agg ctt cgg gaa aag 199 Glu Thr Ile Glu Asp Ala Gln LysLeu Phe Leu Arg Leu Arg Glu Lys 40 45 50 ggg atg ttg gag gaa ggc aat ctgtct ttc ctg aaa gag ctg ctt ttc 247 Gly Met Leu Glu Glu Gly Asn Leu SerPhe Leu Lys Glu Leu Leu Phe 55 60 65 cac atc agt cgg tgg gac ctg ctg gtcaac ttc cta gac tgc aac cga 295 His Ile Ser Arg Trp Asp Leu Leu Val AsnPhe Leu Asp Cys Asn Arg 70 75 80 gag gag atg gtg aga gag ctg cgg gac ccagac aat gtc cag att tct 343 Glu Glu Met Val Arg Glu Leu Arg Asp Pro AspAsn Val Gln Ile Ser 85 90 95 ccc tac agg gtc atg ctc ttt aag ctc tca gaagaa gtg agc gag ttg 391 Pro Tyr Arg Val Met Leu Phe Lys Leu Ser Glu GluVal Ser Glu Leu 100 105 110 115 gaa ttg aga tct ttt aag ttc ctt ttg aacaat gag atc ccc aaa tgt 439 Glu Leu Arg Ser Phe Lys Phe Leu Leu Asn AsnGlu Ile Pro Lys Cys 120 125 130 aag ctg gaa gat gac ttg agc ctg ctt gaaatt ttt gta gaa atg gag 487 Lys Leu Glu Asp Asp Leu Ser Leu Leu Glu IlePhe Val Glu Met Glu 135 140 145 aag agg acc atg ctg gca gaa aat aac ttggaa acc cta aaa tca atc 535 Lys Arg Thr Met Leu Ala Glu Asn Asn Leu GluThr Leu Lys Ser Ile 150 155 160 tgt gac cag gtc aac aag agc ctg ctg gggaag atc gag gat tat gaa 583 Cys Asp Gln Val Asn Lys Ser Leu Leu Gly LysIle Glu Asp Tyr Glu 165 170 175 aga tca agc aca gag aga aga atg agt cttgaa gga agg gaa gag ttg 631 Arg Ser Ser Thr Glu Arg Arg Met Ser Leu GluGly Arg Glu Glu Leu 180 185 190 195 cca cct tca gtt ttg gat gag atg agcctc aaa atg gcg gaa ctg tgt 679 Pro Pro Ser Val Leu Asp Glu Met Ser LeuLys Met Ala Glu Leu Cys 200 205 210 gac tcg cca aga gaa caa gac agt gagtca cgg act tca gac aaa gtt 727 Asp Ser Pro Arg Glu Gln Asp Ser Glu SerArg Thr Ser Asp Lys Val 215 220 225 tac caa atg aag aac aaa cct cgg ggatac tgt ctg atc atc aac aat 775 Tyr Gln Met Lys Asn Lys Pro Arg Gly TyrCys Leu Ile Ile Asn Asn 230 235 240 cat gat ttc agc aag gcc cgg gaa gacata acc caa ctc cga aaa atg 823 His Asp Phe Ser Lys Ala Arg Glu Asp IleThr Gln Leu Arg Lys Met 245 250 255 aag gac aga aaa gga aca gac tgt gataaa gag gct ctg agt aag acc 871 Lys Asp Arg Lys Gly Thr Asp Cys Asp LysGlu Ala Leu Ser Lys Thr 260 265 270 275 ttt aag gag ctt cat ttt gag atagta tct tac gac gac tgc act gca 919 Phe Lys Glu Leu His Phe Glu Ile ValSer Tyr Asp Asp Cys Thr Ala 280 285 290 aat gaa atc cac gag att cta gaaggc tac caa agc gca gac cac aag 967 Asn Glu Ile His Glu Ile Leu Glu GlyTyr Gln Ser Ala Asp His Lys 295 300 305 aac aaa gac tgc ttc atc tgc tgtatc tta tcc cac ggt gac aag ggt 1015 Asn Lys Asp Cys Phe Ile Cys Cys IleLeu Ser His Gly Asp Lys Gly 310 315 320 gtc gtc tat gga acg gat ggg aaggag gcc tcc atc tat gac ctg aca 1063 Val Val Tyr Gly Thr Asp Gly Lys GluAla Ser Ile Tyr Asp Leu Thr 325 330 335 tct tac ttc act ggt tca aag tgccct tcc ctg tct ggg aaa ccc aag 1111 Ser Tyr Phe Thr Gly Ser Lys Cys ProSer Leu Ser Gly Lys Pro Lys 340 345 350 355 atc ttt ttc att cag gct tgccaa gga agt aac ttc cag aaa gga gtg 1159 Ile Phe Phe Ile Gln Ala Cys GlnGly Ser Asn Phe Gln Lys Gly Val 360 365 370 cct gat gag gca ggc ttc gagcaa cag aac cac act tta gaa gtg gat 1207 Pro Asp Glu Ala Gly Phe Glu GlnGln Asn His Thr Leu Glu Val Asp 375 380 385 tca tca tct cac aag aac tatatt ccg gat gag gca gac ttt ctg ctg 1255 Ser Ser Ser His Lys Asn Tyr IlePro Asp Glu Ala Asp Phe Leu Leu 390 395 400 gga atg gct acg gtg aag aactgc gtt tcc tac cga gat cct gtg aat 1303 Gly Met Ala Thr Val Lys Asn CysVal Ser Tyr Arg Asp Pro Val Asn 405 410 415 gga acc tgg tat att cag tcactt tgc cag agc ctg agg gaa aga tgt 1351 Gly Thr Trp Tyr Ile Gln Ser LeuCys Gln Ser Leu Arg Glu Arg Cys 420 425 430 435 cct caa gga gat gac attctt agc atc ctg act ggc gtg aac tat gac 1399 Pro Gln Gly Asp Asp Ile LeuSer Ile Leu Thr Gly Val Asn Tyr Asp 440 445 450 gtg agc aat aaa gac gacagg agg aac aag gga aag cag atg cca cag 1447 Val Ser Asn Lys Asp Asp ArgArg Asn Lys Gly Lys Gln Met Pro Gln 455 460 465 ccc acc ttc aca cta cggaag aag ctc ttc ttc cct ccc taa 1489 Pro Thr Phe Thr Leu Arg Lys Lys LeuPhe Phe Pro Pro 470 475 480 11 26 DNA Artificial Sequence PCR Primer 11gaggattatg aaagatcaag cacaga 26 12 24 DNA Artificial Sequence PCR Primer12 tccgtgactc actgtcttgt tctc 24 13 25 DNA Artificial Sequence PCR Probe13 aaatggcgga actgtgtgac tcgcc 25 14 20 DNA Artificial Sequence PCRPrimer 14 ggcaaattca acggcacagt 20 15 20 DNA Artificial Sequence PCRPrimer 15 gggtctcgct cctggaagct 20 16 27 DNA Artificial Sequence PCRProbe 16 aaggccgaga atgggaagct tgtcatc 27 17 20 DNA Artificial SequenceAntisense Oligonucleotide 17 aagctcagtc tgaacaacca 20 18 20 DNAArtificial Sequence Antisense Oligonucleotide 18 caggcagcca ccagtcacct20 19 20 DNA Artificial Sequence Antisense Oligonucleotide 19 gctaattctcttgcccactg 20 20 20 DNA Artificial Sequence Antisense Oligonucleotide 20ctgctcagac agcagatgct 20 21 20 DNA Artificial Sequence AntisenseOligonucleotide 21 gccaaggccc aacctcacgt 20 22 20 DNA ArtificialSequence Antisense Oligonucleotide 22 aaggttcaag tgaccaactc 20 23 20 DNAArtificial Sequence Antisense Oligonucleotide 23 aggagaatat aatctcaata20 24 20 DNA Artificial Sequence Antisense Oligonucleotide 24 tctgctgaagtccatctttt 20 25 20 DNA Artificial Sequence Antisense Oligonucleotide 25tttctgctga agtccatctt 20 26 20 DNA Artificial Sequence AntisenseOligonucleotide 26 gatttctgct gaagtccatc 20 27 20 DNA ArtificialSequence Antisense Oligonucleotide 27 aagatttctg ctgaagtcca 20 28 20 DNAArtificial Sequence Antisense Oligonucleotide 28 taaagatttc tgctgaagtc20 29 20 DNA Artificial Sequence Antisense Oligonucleotide 29 atcataaagatttctgctga 20 30 20 DNA Artificial Sequence Antisense Oligonucleotide 30gatcttcact gtccagttgt 20 31 20 DNA Artificial Sequence AntisenseOligonucleotide 31 ggctcaggaa cttgagggag 20 32 20 DNA ArtificialSequence Antisense Oligonucleotide 32 gcttcctttg cggaatgtag 20 33 20 DNAArtificial Sequence Antisense Oligonucleotide 33 tcaaggcatc cttgatgggt20 34 20 DNA Artificial Sequence Antisense Oligonucleotide 34 tctcttttcctggagtctct 20 35 20 DNA Artificial Sequence Antisense Oligonucleotide 35ggacagattg ctttcctcca 20 36 20 DNA Artificial Sequence AntisenseOligonucleotide 36 tcggaagagc agctccttca 20 37 20 DNA ArtificialSequence Antisense Oligonucleotide 37 aatcagcaaa tccagtctat 20 38 20 DNAArtificial Sequence Antisense Oligonucleotide 38 tcctcctttc tagtgtttag20 39 20 DNA Artificial Sequence Antisense Oligonucleotide 39 gtgtctgaagttccctttcc 20 40 20 DNA Artificial Sequence Antisense Oligonucleotide 40gcagaaattt gagccctgcc 20 41 20 DNA Artificial Sequence AntisenseOligonucleotide 41 cggcagaagt ggaacctgta 20 42 20 DNA ArtificialSequence Antisense Oligonucleotide 42 gtttgcttca gcccagctca 20 43 20 DNAArtificial Sequence Antisense Oligonucleotide 43 acagactgtg tctggcactg20 44 20 DNA Artificial Sequence Antisense Oligonucleotide 44 atcgaccctccgccagaaag 20 45 20 DNA Artificial Sequence Antisense Oligonucleotide 45agcatgaccc ttattaatag 20 46 20 DNA Artificial Sequence AntisenseOligonucleotide 46 cacttcttct gaaatctgat 20 47 20 DNA ArtificialSequence Antisense Oligonucleotide 47 aaagacctca attctgatct 20 48 20 DNAArtificial Sequence Antisense Oligonucleotide 48 tcctcttgca aaagaaactt20 49 20 DNA Artificial Sequence Antisense Oligonucleotide 49 tccagtttgcatttggagat 20 50 20 DNA Artificial Sequence Antisense Oligonucleotide 50atccagcagg ttcatgtcat 20 51 20 DNA Artificial Sequence AntisenseOligonucleotide 51 cttctccatc tctatgaaaa 20 52 20 DNA ArtificialSequence Antisense Oligonucleotide 52 tccttctccc aggatgaccc 20 53 20 DNAArtificial Sequence Antisense Oligonucleotide 53 tcttttcagg atgtccaact20 54 20 DNA Artificial Sequence Antisense Oligonucleotide 54 tcttgttgatttgggcacag 20 55 20 DNA Artificial Sequence Antisense Oligonucleotide 55tcgttgatta tcttcagcag 20 56 20 DNA Artificial Sequence AntisenseOligonucleotide 56 cccctttgct gaattcttca 20 57 20 DNA ArtificialSequence Antisense Oligonucleotide 57 tcattacccc acacaactcc 20 58 20 DNAArtificial Sequence Antisense Oligonucleotide 58 ctcttggaga gtccgagatt20 59 20 DNA Artificial Sequence Antisense Oligonucleotide 59 gtctgtgattcactatcctg 20 60 20 DNA Artificial Sequence Antisense Oligonucleotide 60atttggtaaa ctttgtccaa 20 61 20 DNA Artificial Sequence AntisenseOligonucleotide 61 tatccccgag gtttgctttt 20 62 20 DNA ArtificialSequence Antisense Oligonucleotide 62 tgattgttga tgatcagaca 20 63 20 DNAArtificial Sequence Antisense Oligonucleotide 63 tcccgtgctt ttgcaaaatt20 64 20 DNA Artificial Sequence Antisense Oligonucleotide 64 atgctgtgaagtttgggcac 20 65 20 DNA Artificial Sequence Antisense Oligonucleotide 65tgtgttccat tcctgtccct 20 66 20 DNA Artificial Sequence AntisenseOligonucleotide 66 cgtggtcaaa gcccctgcat 20 67 20 DNA ArtificialSequence Antisense Oligonucleotide 67 caaaatgaag ctcttcaaag 20 68 20 DNAArtificial Sequence Antisense Oligonucleotide 68 gatttgctct actgtgcagt20 69 20 DNA Artificial Sequence Antisense Oligonucleotide 69 gtagattttcaaaatctcat 20 70 20 DNA Artificial Sequence Antisense Oligonucleotide 70ttactgtggt ccatgagttg 20 71 20 DNA Artificial Sequence AntisenseOligonucleotide 71 agcagatgaa gcagtccatg 20 72 20 DNA ArtificialSequence Antisense Oligonucleotide 72 gtctccatgg gagaggatac 20 73 20 DNAArtificial Sequence Antisense Oligonucleotide 73 agtgccatag atgatgccct20 74 20 DNA Artificial Sequence Antisense Oligonucleotide 74 actgagatgtcagctcatag 20 75 20 DNA Artificial Sequence Antisense Oligonucleotide 75aagggcactt caaaccagtg 20 76 20 DNA Artificial Sequence AntisenseOligonucleotide 76 tttgggtttt ccagcaaggg 20 77 20 DNA ArtificialSequence Antisense Oligonucleotide 77 caacaggtat acctttctgg 20 78 20 DNAArtificial Sequence Antisense Oligonucleotide 78 ggttgctcct ctgaatcagt20 79 20 DNA Artificial Sequence Antisense Oligonucleotide 79 atgataaatccatttctaaa 20 80 20 DNA Artificial Sequence Antisense Oligonucleotide 80gatatatctc gtttgaggtg 20 81 20 DNA Artificial Sequence AntisenseOligonucleotide 81 agcagaaagt cagcctcatc 20 82 20 DNA ArtificialSequence Antisense Oligonucleotide 82 gttattcaca gtggccatcc 20 83 20 DNAArtificial Sequence Antisense Oligonucleotide 83 cagggtttcg gtaggaaaca20 84 20 DNA Artificial Sequence Antisense Oligonucleotide 84 actggatgtaccaggttccc 20 85 20 DNA Artificial Sequence Antisense Oligonucleotide 85tctctcaggc tctggcaaag 20 86 20 DNA Artificial Sequence AntisenseOligonucleotide 86 tcatcgcctc gaggacatcg 20 87 20 DNA ArtificialSequence Antisense Oligonucleotide 87 acttcagtca ggatggtgag 20 88 20 DNAArtificial Sequence Antisense Oligonucleotide 88 cttgttgctt acttcatagt20 89 20 DNA Artificial Sequence Antisense Oligonucleotide 89 gctgaggcatctgtttcccc 20 90 20 DNA Artificial Sequence Antisense Oligonucleotide 90atcaatcaga agggaagaca 20 91 20 DNA Artificial Sequence AntisenseOligonucleotide 91 aaaatagcac catcaatcag 20 92 20 DNA ArtificialSequence Antisense Oligonucleotide 92 acaaaacaaa caaaatagca 20 93 20 DNAArtificial Sequence Antisense Oligonucleotide 93 cgacagagcg agattctgtc20 94 20 DNA Artificial Sequence Antisense Oligonucleotide 94 acgccactgcactccagcct 20 95 20 DNA Artificial Sequence Antisense Oligonucleotide 95gcttgcggtg agccgagatc 20 96 20 DNA Artificial Sequence AntisenseOligonucleotide 96 ggcctgaacc cgggaggcgg 20 97 20 DNA ArtificialSequence Antisense Oligonucleotide 97 acctgtggcc gagtacctgc 20 98 20 DNAArtificial Sequence Antisense Oligonucleotide 98 tcaagaggta gaagagccgt20 99 20 DNA Artificial Sequence Antisense Oligonucleotide 99 cattcttatcaagaggtaga 20 100 20 DNA Artificial Sequence Antisense Oligonucleotide100 gaaatccatt cttatcaaga 20 101 20 DNA Artificial Sequence AntisenseOligonucleotide 101 aactctggaa atccattctt 20 102 20 DNA ArtificialSequence Antisense Oligonucleotide 102 taaagacaac tctggaaatc 20 103 20DNA Artificial Sequence Antisense Oligonucleotide 103 ttcttcagcaatagcataaa 20 104 20 DNA Artificial Sequence Antisense Oligonucleotide104 aggtcttcac tgcccagttc 20 105 20 DNA Artificial Sequence AntisenseOligonucleotide 105 aggaacttga gggcagccag 20 106 20 DNA ArtificialSequence Antisense Oligonucleotide 106 tgggatgtag tccaagcaca 20 107 20DNA Artificial Sequence Antisense Oligonucleotide 107 ggtctcctgcttcttgtgtg 20 108 20 DNA Artificial Sequence Antisense Oligonucleotide108 ttctgggcat cctcgatggt 20 109 20 DNA Artificial Sequence AntisenseOligonucleotide 109 tcccgaagcc tcagaaatag 20 110 20 DNA ArtificialSequence Antisense Oligonucleotide 110 ttcctccaac atcccctttt 20 111 20DNA Artificial Sequence Antisense Oligonucleotide 111 tcaggaaagacagattgcct 20 112 20 DNA Artificial Sequence Antisense Oligonucleotide112 tgatgtggaa aagcagctct 20 113 20 DNA Artificial Sequence AntisenseOligonucleotide 113 accagcaggt cccaccgact 20 114 20 DNA ArtificialSequence Antisense Oligonucleotide 114 gttgcagtct aggaagttga 20 115 20DNA Artificial Sequence Antisense Oligonucleotide 115 ctctcaccatctcctctcgg 20 116 20 DNA Artificial Sequence Antisense Oligonucleotide116 attgtctggg tcccgcagct 20 117 20 DNA Artificial Sequence AntisenseOligonucleotide 117 ctgtagggag aaatctggac 20 118 20 DNA ArtificialSequence Antisense Oligonucleotide 118 tgagagctta aagagcatga 20 119 20DNA Artificial Sequence Antisense Oligonucleotide 119 tccaactcgctcacttcttc 20 120 20 DNA Artificial Sequence Antisense Oligonucleotide120 aacttaaaag atctcaattc 20 121 20 DNA Artificial Sequence AntisenseOligonucleotide 121 ctcattgttc aaaaggaact 20 122 20 DNA ArtificialSequence Antisense Oligonucleotide 122 aggctcaagt catcttccag 20 123 20DNA Artificial Sequence Antisense Oligonucleotide 123 tggtcctcttctccatttct 20 124 20 DNA Artificial Sequence Antisense Oligonucleotide124 agttattttc tgccagcatg 20 125 20 DNA Artificial Sequence AntisenseOligonucleotide 125 attgatttta gggtttccaa 20 126 20 DNA ArtificialSequence Antisense Oligonucleotide 126 ttgttgacct ggtcacagat 20 127 20DNA Artificial Sequence Antisense Oligonucleotide 127 tcttccccagcaggctcttg 20 128 20 DNA Artificial Sequence Antisense Oligonucleotide128 atctttcata atcctcgatc 20 129 20 DNA Artificial Sequence AntisenseOligonucleotide 129 cttctctctg tgcttgatct 20 130 20 DNA ArtificialSequence Antisense Oligonucleotide 130 cttccttcaa gactcattct 20 131 20DNA Artificial Sequence Antisense Oligonucleotide 131 gaaggtggcaactcttccct 20 132 20 DNA Artificial Sequence Antisense Oligonucleotide132 ctcatctcat ccaaaactga 20 133 20 DNA Artificial Sequence AntisenseOligonucleotide 133 agttccgcca ttttgaggct 20 134 20 DNA ArtificialSequence Antisense Oligonucleotide 134 ctcttggcga gtcacacagt 20 135 20DNA Artificial Sequence Antisense Oligonucleotide 135 tgactcactgtcttgttctc 20 136 20 DNA Artificial Sequence Antisense Oligonucleotide136 aactttgtct gaagtccgtg 20 137 20 DNA Artificial Sequence AntisenseOligonucleotide 137 gtttgttctt catttggtaa 20 138 20 DNA ArtificialSequence Antisense Oligonucleotide 138 gatcagacag tatccccgag 20 139 20DNA Artificial Sequence Antisense Oligonucleotide 139 tgaaatcatgattgttgatg 20 140 20 DNA Artificial Sequence Antisense Oligonucleotide140 gtcttcccgg gccttgctga 20 141 20 DNA Artificial Sequence AntisenseOligonucleotide 141 tttcggagtt gggttatgtc 20 142 20 DNA ArtificialSequence Antisense Oligonucleotide 142 tttatcacag tctgttcctt 20 143 20DNA Artificial Sequence Antisense Oligonucleotide 143 tcttactcagagcctcttta 20 144 20 DNA Artificial Sequence Antisense Oligonucleotide144 aatgaagctc cttaaaggtc 20 145 20 DNA Artificial Sequence AntisenseOligonucleotide 145 gtaagatact atctcaaaat 20 146 20 DNA ArtificialSequence Antisense Oligonucleotide 146 atttgcagtg cagtcgtcgt 20 147 20DNA Artificial Sequence Antisense Oligonucleotide 147 tagaatctcgtggatttcat 20 148 20 DNA Artificial Sequence Antisense Oligonucleotide148 gcgctttggt agccttctag 20 149 20 DNA Artificial Sequence AntisenseOligonucleotide 149 ctttgttctt gtggtctgcg 20 150 20 DNA ArtificialSequence Antisense Oligonucleotide 150 acagcagatg aagcagtctt 20 151 20DNA Artificial Sequence Antisense Oligonucleotide 151 gtcaccgtgggataagatac 20 152 20 DNA Artificial Sequence Antisense Oligonucleotide152 tccatagacg acacccttgt 20 153 20 DNA Artificial Sequence AntisenseOligonucleotide 153 aggcctcctt cccatccgtt 20 154 20 DNA ArtificialSequence Antisense Oligonucleotide 154 atgtcaggtc atagatggag 20 155 20DNA Artificial Sequence Antisense Oligonucleotide 155 ttgaaccagtgaagtaagat 20 156 20 DNA Artificial Sequence Antisense Oligonucleotide156 cagacaggga agggcacttt 20 157 20 DNA Artificial Sequence AntisenseOligonucleotide 157 aaagatcttg ggtttcccag 20 158 20 DNA ArtificialSequence Antisense Oligonucleotide 158 ctttctggaa gttacttcct 20 159 20DNA Artificial Sequence Antisense Oligonucleotide 159 tgcctcatcaggcactcctt 20 160 20 DNA Artificial Sequence Antisense Oligonucleotide160 ttctgttgct cgaagcctgc 20 161 20 DNA Artificial Sequence AntisenseOligonucleotide 161 aatccacttc taaagtgtgg 20 162 20 DNA ArtificialSequence Antisense Oligonucleotide 162 agttcttgtg agatgatgaa 20 163 20DNA Artificial Sequence Antisense Oligonucleotide 163 tctgcctcatccggaatata 20 164 20 DNA Artificial Sequence Antisense Oligonucleotide164 gccattccca gcagaaagtc 20 165 20 DNA Artificial Sequence AntisenseOligonucleotide 165 aacgcagttc ttcaccgtag 20 166 20 DNA ArtificialSequence Antisense Oligonucleotide 166 attcacagga tctcggtagg 20 167 20DNA Artificial Sequence Antisense Oligonucleotide 167 actgaatataccaggttcca 20 168 20 DNA Artificial Sequence Antisense Oligonucleotide168 ccctcaggct ctggcaaagt 20 169 20 DNA Artificial Sequence AntisenseOligonucleotide 169 atctccttga ggacatcttt 20 170 20 DNA ArtificialSequence Antisense Oligonucleotide 170 caggatgcta agaatgtcat 20 171 20DNA Artificial Sequence Antisense Oligonucleotide 171 gtcatagttcacgccagtca 20 172 20 DNA Artificial Sequence Antisense Oligonucleotide172 ctcctgtcgt ctttattgct 20 173 20 DNA Artificial Sequence AntisenseOligonucleotide 173 ggcatctgct ttcccttgtt 20 174 20 DNA ArtificialSequence Antisense Oligonucleotide 174 tagtgtgaag gtgggctgtg 20 175 20DNA Artificial Sequence Antisense Oligonucleotide 175 gggaagaagagcttcttccg 20 176 20 DNA Artificial Sequence Antisense Oligonucleotide176 tagggaggga agaagagctt 20

What is claimed is:
 1. An antisense compound up to 30 nucleobases inlength comprising at least an 8-nucleobase portion of SEQ ID NO: 20, 26,29, 30, 33, 35, 39, 40, 49, 50, 52, 54, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65,68, 71, 73, 74, 75, 77, 78, 82, 84, 87, 89, 97, 98, 100, 101, 102, 103,104, 106, 107, 108, 109, 110, 111, 112, 113, 114, 115, 116, 117, 118,119, 121, 122, 123, 124, 125, 126, 127, 128, 129, 130, 131, 133, 134,135, 136, 137, 138, 139, 140, 141, 142, 143, 144, 145, 146, 147, 148,149, 150, 151, 152, 153, 155, 156, 157, 158, 159, 160, 161, 162, 163,164, 165, 166, 167, 168, 169, 170, 171, 172, 173, 174 or 175 whichinhibits the expression of human caspase
 8. 2. The antisense compound ofclaim 1 which is an antisense oligonucleotide.
 3. The antisense compoundof claim 2 wherein the antisense oligonucleotide comprises at least onemodified internucleoside linkage.
 4. The antisense compound of claim 3wherein the modified internucleoside linkage is a phosphorothioatelinkage.
 5. The antisense compound of claim 2 wherein the antisenseoligonucleotide comprises at least one modified sugar moiety.
 6. Theantisense compound of claim 5 wherein the modified sugar moiety is a2′-O-methoxyethyl sugar moiety.
 7. The antisense compound of claim 2wherein the antisense oligonucleotide comprises at least one modifiednucleobase.
 8. The antisense compound of claim 7 wherein the modifiednucleobase is a 5-methylcytosine.
 9. The antisense compound of claim 2wherein the antisense oligonucleotide is a chimeric oligonucleotide. 10.A method of inhibiting the expression of human caspase 8 in human cellsor tissues comprising contacting said cells or tissues in vitro with theantisense compound of claim 1 so that expression of human caspase 8 isinhibited.
 11. A composition comprising the antisense compound of claim1 and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier or diluent.
 12. Thecomposition of claim 11 further comprising a colloidal dispersionsystem.
 13. The composition of claim 11 wherein the antisense compoundis an antisense oligonucleotide.